Nassau officers, NYPD rush woman to hospital in time for her organ transplant
MASSAPEQUA, Long Island (WABC) -- Four police officers from Nassau County are truly lifesavers.
They helped get a patient into Manhattan in time for a lifesaving transplant.
"It was 5 O'clock in the morning, 5:30, and all the phones started ringing," said Dana Sepulveda, Massapequa resident. "I'm thinking at first, 'Oh my God, someone must have died,' and then I think, 'Oh my God, maybe it's my organs.'"
Sepulveda had 90 minutes to get to Mount Sinai Hospital in the city to receive a new liver and a new kidney. It was a Monday morning. June 26th. She knew traffic would be bumper to bumper. So she ran to the 7th precinct in Seaford.
"We don't expect a call like this," said Officer Greg Millwater, Nassau County Police. "This is definitely out of the blue."
Officers Greg Millwater, Thomas Fabian and Michael Passarelli sprang into action. Another officer who was also involved in the efforts was not in attendance.
Officer Passarelli escorted the mother of two to a police helicopter where Officers Millwater and Fabian were waiting.
"The only glitch we had was that the heliport doesn't open until 8 O'clock in the morning and this is 6 O'clock," Officer Fabian said. "So I called New York City Aviation so that if we did land there we could get onto the street to get her out, and they said yes, there was a way to do that. We made one more call and someone was there early."
They got Sepulveda to the East Side in 15 minutes.
From there the NYPD escorted her to Mount Sinai.
"I put myself in her husband's shoes," Officer Millwater said. "I have wife and two kids too."
"When these situations come out and you see all the training, how it all pays off, it is very humbling for me as a commissioner to be part of it. Everyday they raise the bar," said Commissioner Patrick Ryder, Nassau County Police.
The three officers were honored Monday for their quick thinking.
"I'm beyond thankful," Sepulveda said. "My kids are going to know the whole story one day."
