Former Calgary Flames co-captain and Hockey Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald surprised a city police officer who helped save his life earlier this year by paying him a visit with the Stanley Cup in tow.
Const. Jose Cives performed chest compressions on McDonald at CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 airport in early February after the 71-year-old collapsed while returning from the NHLB次元官网网址檚 all-star game in Toronto.
Cives had no idea that McDonald, who played with the team during its 1989 Stanley Cup win, was coming to a fundraising event on Friday put on by the Calgary Police Rodeo Association, nor did he know that McDonald would also be accompanied by his former teammates Tim Hunter, Colin Patterson and Rick Wamsley.
In a video posted online by the Calgary Flames, Cives says he got a call over his radio in February saying a man had collapsed, prompting him to race to the scene. He performed chest compressions and used an automated external defribrilator on McDonald until EMS arrived.
Cives and McDonald now go for coffee and share laughs these days, with Cives saying they get along B次元官网网址渂rilliantly.B次元官网网址�
McDonald calls Cives, who is listed as a director with the rodeo association, a B次元官网网址渓ocal heroB次元官网网址� in the video and says it was B次元官网网址渆xtremely specialB次元官网网址� to bring the Stanley Cup to him and his fellow officers.
B次元官网网址淲e had given them a couple of auction items, but to be able to surprise them, be here, knowing they make such a difference in the community, is so rewarding, and what a great way to thank Jose,B次元官网网址� McDonald said in the video.
The Flames legend also thanked B次元官网网址渢wo beautiful nursesB次元官网网址� who he said also jumped in to save his life.
Cives said heB次元官网网址檚 been told he was working on McDonald for ten minutes before emergency responders took over.
B次元官网网址淭here were many times when I thought that Lanny wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to make it through, but I wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to stop until I got some sort of result,B次元官网网址� Cives recounted of that day in the airport.
B次元官网网址淭here isnB次元官网网址檛 a day that goes by where he doesnB次元官网网址檛 remind me that IB次元官网网址檓 the man that broke him B次元官网网址� his ribs, his sternum B次元官网网址� but on the flipside, he always tells me that heB次元官网网址檚 forever thankful that I was one of the people that saved his life.B次元官网网址�
McDonald, originally from Hanna, Alta., was released from Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary two weeks after his cardiac event.
FridayB次元官网网址檚 fundraiser also raised money for the Missing ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Society of Canada.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all teammates, but they have a different kind of teammate challenge and itB次元官网网址檚 great to be able to support them here tonight,B次元官网网址� McDonald said.
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