IONIA, Mich. (WSYM) - Three citizens and three Ionia Public Safety officers are being called heroes after they saved the life of a vendor who collapsed and stopped breathing at the Ionia Free Fair.
Char Austin was at her root beer stand on July 15 when she collapsed to the ground.
Melissa Crayver, a nurse at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, and retired Detroit firefighter Robert Zeineh were nearby when it happened and came rushing to Austin’s aide.
Austin didn’t have a pulse.
Both Crayver and Zeineh performed CRP until Officer Jennifer Skorka, Officer Randy Dankenbring and Officer Chris Flanders from the Ionia Department of Public Safety used an AED to bring back Austin’s pulse.
Austin was taken to an Ionia hospital and later flown to Grand Rapids via Aeromed. She is expected to be okay.
Ionia Department of Public Safety Director Troy Thomas presented a plaque to those involved in saving Austin at the fairgrounds Saturday afternoon.
Austin was present at the event.
Another man is credited in helping saving Austin, Ron Netterfield, however a fairground employee tells FOX 47 News he was not in attendance for the presentation Saturday.
