Off-Duty Cops Save Elderly Man’s Life During Shopping Trip: ‘Teamwork at Its Finest’

A pair of off-duty police officers are being praised for helping save a citizen’s life during a shopping trip Sunday.

Nicholas and Melissa Gustovich had entered the Gabe’s store building in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, when they realized people were yelling for help and noticed other shoppers who appeared distressed, WPXI reported.

Nicholas serves as a corporal with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office while Melissa serves as an officer with the Waynesburg Borough.

The couple located an elderly man who was unconscious and had no pulse, but shoppers had already begun performing CPR on the individual.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can help in saving a person’s life while they are experiencing a cardiac or breathing emergency, according to the American Red Cross’ website.

Medical personnel arrived at the scene and took over the situation while everyone took turns performing CPR.

“He was completely unresponsive. We were doing everything we could. We were checking for a pulse, when we first got there there was no pulse,” Melissa recalled.

In a social media post on Sunday, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office thanked Nick and Melissa for their help while off duty in such a critical situation.

“Through the life saving efforts of the Gustovich’s, members of the public and Fayette EMS, they were able to regain a pulse before leaving the store and we were later informed that at the hospital, the man was able to breath on his own and able to move his extremities,” the agency said:

“Thank you to the fast acting actions of the Gustovich’s, members of the public and Fayette EMS in saving this mans life. We also wish a speedy recovery to the man suffering the medical issue,” the post continued.

Now, the couple said they would like to meet the man they helped.

“Glad we were in the right spot, right time,” Nicholas told WPXI.

Fayette EMS also praised the couple, stating, “Well done! Teamwork at its finest.”