A Hermosa Beach police officer who administered CPR to a patient who had no heartbeat and was turning blue is being credited for his lifesaving efforts.
On Pier Plaza around 4:24 p.m. Wednesday, officer Mick Gaglia applied chest compressions to an unconscious 87-year-old South Bay resident for approximately three minutes before the fire department arrived, according to the Hermosa Beach Police Department.
The patient began to breath shallowly on their own and regained color according to a press release, before being transported and admitted to an area hospital. As of Thursday afternoon, the patient was expected to recover.
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Gaglia said that he was physically exhausted and soaked in sweat from performing chest compressions for that amount of time.
One onlooker in the crowd that had gathered described Gaglia’s efforts as “inspirational."
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