Inmate thanks Essex County Corrections Officers for saving his life

Essex County Sheriff’s Department officers and medical staff performed 29 rounds of high-quality CPR to save the life of an inmate suffering a cardiac event last month.

Today, inmate William Schultz thanked those officers and staff, and made them all a promise.

“I really wouldn’t here if I wasn’t here in this place, and if it wasn’t for your efforts,” an emotional Schultz told the officers. “Don’t worry. I won’t waste this second chance.”

It was the middle of the night when an inmate alerted officers there was something wrong with Schultz. Responding officers found Schultz having a seizure when he suddenly became unresponsive, and officers could not find a pulse.

An emergency response was called, and officers and medical staff jumped into action. Officers  and medical staff  administered 29 rounds of high-quality CPR — 870 chest compressions and 58 rescue breaths — and shocks were administered by an automatic defibrillator. Schultz’s life was saved. He was transported to a local hospital where he recovered, and yesterday he said thank you the men and women who saved his life.

“When I woke up, the doctors told me what you did and how it saved my life,” Schultz said. “I’ve been grateful from the moment I woke up.”

Sheriff Kevin Coppinger presented letters of recognition to the staff involved in this life-saving effort, including Sergeants Mark Duquette and Isaac Mercer, Officers Anthony Lopez-Sanchez, Kayli Kotchian, Mark Csogi, Michael Palm, and Scott Faessler, and WellPath LPNs Elena Shevtsova, Nicole Newman, and David McAuliffe.

“This is a miracle, nothing short of a miracle,” Sheriff Coppinger said. “The men and women, it’s what they do for a living, but their heart is in their job and they care. They are trained for moments like these, and because of their training they saved this man’s life.”

Schultz joined Coppinger in presenting these letters of recognition, shaking hands with the officers and nurses, and saying thank you to each one individually.

“It’s the first time I am hearing the whole story of what happened and I’m just so emotional,” Schultz said. “I cannot thank you all enough. Thank you for saving my life.”