Folsom police officer receives his fourth "Life Saving Award" for saving man who suffered heart attack
FOLSOM - A local police officer who's already received three "Life Saving Awards" just received his fourth. David Rojo, an officer for the Folsom Police Department, recently saved the life of a man suffering a heart attack.
Without the quick actions of Officer Rojo, the man would not be alive today. Last month, Rojo responded to a call regarding a man who collapsed while watching a cross-country event at Folsom High School. It was later known that the man suffered a heart attack.
When Rojo arrived, the man was unconscious. He performed CPR for about five minutes. Within that time, the man woke up briefly before losing consciousness again.
"Every second counts, so as soon as you know that medical aid is required, CPR is crucial for everyone to have better odds at surviving," officer Rojo said.
The man was taken to UC Davis Medical Center for treatment. He was then transported to Sutter Health for emergency open heart surgery. The surgery was a success and the man is expected to make a full recovery. But surgery would not have been possible without Rojo's speedy response.
"Words can't describe the feeling when you're saving someone's life. You have that emotional connection from there on out with that person...I want to make a difference each and every single day," officer Rojo said.
In a statement obtained by CBS13, the man says "words cannot express the gratitude I feel for officer Rojo and everyone that helped me on the field that day. Because of the good Samaritans, paramedics, and the fire department, I am here today. This event was the start of a lifelong friendship between officer Rojo and myself. I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and well wishes."