Holliston First Responders React Quickly To Save Local Man's Life

HOLLISTON, MA — A Holliston police officer on his second day on the job is among the first responders who are being credited with saving the life of a local man on Thursday at an area pharmacy.

Police Chief Matthew Stone said that a 61-year-old man was having a massive heart attack at a CVS pharmacy on Central Street when three police officers and other emergency personnel stepped into action.

Among the officers who helped the man is police trainee Alex Keefe, who — along with field training officer Scott Downey, officer Tim Henney and school resource officer Bryan DiGirgio used CPR and another emergency measures to save the man’s life, Holliston Police wrote in a social media post.

The first responders arrived just minutes after the 911 call came in and began life-saving measures, including delivering "two shocks" from their from their Automated External Defibrillator device, police said.

A 911 call alerted authorities that the man had collapsed in the store around 11 a.m. on Thursday. Off-duty paramedic David Piantedosi, as well as Holliston and Medway firefighters also assisted in saving the man’s life, officials said.

“We are incredibly proud of all involved, but especially our officers who were on-scene within minutes and took immediate action to save a man’s life,” police officials said.

Keefe had worked previously at the Ashland Police Department and had been awarded five life-saving awards, Stone said.

“He came with experience, jumped into action and didn’t hesitate,” Stone said of Keefe’s quick-thinking response, according to The Metro West Daily News.