A Life Saved, A Friend Made

On a recent walk with the family dog after her nursing shift at Hackensack University Medical Center, Arminda Jaochico heard a man’s voice calling to her, asking “Hey — are you the nurse who saved me?” She was indeed. It had happened exactly a year ago to the day of their second chance encounter, in that very same area around a baseball field where she had been walking the same family dog. The events of that fall day in September led to an important recognition for our team member and what she hopes will be a lifelong bond with the man she helped. 

Arminda, an outreach nurse navigator for Community Outreach & Engagement at the John Theurer Cancer Center was recently awarded a certificate of appreciation from the New Milford, New Jersey Police Department for her life saving efforts last September. On that early fall day she was still wearing her scrubs from work as she took a walk near New Milford High School. Off in the distance, she could see a commotion on the baseball field. A man had collapsed and was in desperate need of medical attention. As she handed off her dog to a mother at the game, she raced to the unconscious man. A police officer was already there, administering CPR.

“I told him I’m a nurse, I can help. I know you’re tired — but you have to give effective CPR.”

But she knew this victim needed more. She and others instructed someone to get an AED from a nearby grocery store. She and the police officer already on scene administered the device as more officers arrived at the scene to help.  She kept his head tilted to keep his airway open. Throughout the next several minutes as more officers arrived, she advised the others on what to do to help the man who was slowly regaining color and a heartbeat. After the fourth shock, the ambulance had arrived and Arminda gave paramedics a full report on what happened.  

“I always wanted to check to see if he was ok. As a nurse you follow up on your patients when you can. I did not think I would ever meet him,” she said.

Then exactly a year after she helped save him, they ran into one another at that park again. 

“I asked how he knew it was me. He told me that as soon as he saw me, he immediately felt a connection and his intuition told him I was the nurse who was there. It gave me goosebumps!” Arminda recalled.

After talking for a few more minutes, the 20 year Hackensack University Medical Center team member learned her new friend was in the ICU for three days before being transferred to Hackensack for cardiac surgery. So his doctors are also team members. 

“He took a selfie of us and called me on my cell phone so I have his name and number and we could continue to keep in touch. I am so happy that I got to meet him, and most importantly, to find out that he is doing just fine! I just never imagined I would make such a difference that day. I am beyond grateful and blessed for my profession and the opportunity to serve others.”