Two bystanders and police helped revive a 19-year-old who overdosed, cops say.
PITTSGROVE TWP. -- By the time Elmer Police Lt. Steven Felice arrived on the scene, two bystanders were already working to try and revive a 19-year-old man from an overdose Thursday night.
The young man was unresponsive in the area of the Heritage's convenience store at U.S. Route 40 and Buck Road when Robin Wallace got out of her car to start administering CPR.
"I got out of my car and noticed there was a kid who looked like he was in distress, and another one laying on the ground, obviously not moving," Wallace, of Elmer, recalled Friday afternoon.
Wallace, who is a nurse, jumped in to help the second bystander, Brandon Ford, of Franklinville, administer CPR until help arrived.
"I did CPR compressions and Brandon did the breaths. It wasn't easy -- his heart would start and we would get a pulse every once in a while, then it would stop again," Wallace said.
Police Lt. Steven Felice was dispatched to the scene by New Jersey State Police, who typically patrols Pittsgrove Township, to assist a cardiac arrest.
"When I got there, two people were attempting CPR and I told them to call 911 again -- there was just no pulse," Felice recalled Thursday night's events.
After speaking with the duo, Felice ran back to the patrol vehicle to grab Narcan.
"I wanted to make sure I got him breathing again. He had a pulse, then went out again. I did CPR and was ready to hit him with Narcan and I heard aspiration. We got a pulse and held him there," Felice said.
After countless attempts, the 19-year-old was finally steady with a pulse again and when EMS arrived, Narcan was administered and he was stabilized for additional medical treatment.
Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find NJ.com on Facebook.