Rabbi Meir Holtzberg suffered a severe heart attack the night after Simchas Torah in Bnei Brak. United Hatzalah volunteer David Berg responded to the call and saved Rabbi Holtzberg’s life. Last week, after Holzberg had been cleared by Doctors to see visitors, he met with the man who saved his life. During that meeting Rabbi Holzberg revealed that this was not his first time suffering a lif threatening instance.

Berg told reporters his side of how events unfolded that night. “I was driving at around 2 a.m. past our local dispatch center which is on Rabbi Akiva St. on my way to come to Hakafot Shniyot. When I returned, I came back to Rabbi Akiva St. even though it is not on my way. I think the hand of God was looking out for you and Yishai today.

Suddenly, I see a woman running out of her car and screaming for someone to come help her as she believed that her husband was having a heart attack. I immediately went up to the car and saw Rabbi Holztberg in a state of having a heart attack. I gave Matityahu three Aspirin to take and then I gave him some fluids as well. After I saw that his condition hadn’t been improving I called our dispatch and told them what was happening. Within seconds other volunteers came rolling in and assisted in helping me to stabilize Rabbi Holtzberg.

Holtzberg told his side of the story. “After I took the sukkah down I was feeling a lot of chest pains, similar to what I had previously. I took some medication and then headed to bed to rest. My wife saw that my situation hadn’t been improving and she insisted that we head to the emergency medical clinic but the clinic was closed. My situation deteriorated and my wife left the car to flag down help.

A minute after I was transferred from the regular ambulance to the mobile intensive care unit, I lost consciousness and my heart stopped completely. After receiving an intravenous line, compressions, and an electrical shock from a defibrillator, my life came back to me. I had to undergo two catheters as well as a number of other major procedures. My miracle is that I was found worthy of receiving the correct response to my problems and at the correct time.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)