89-year-old was speaking to bank teller when his ‘face dropped’ — they responded astutely and saved his life
An 89-year-old man named Jimmy Mok went to get a check deposited at Wells Fargo in Mira Mesa, California. He is alive today because of their employees, per CBS 8. The Quality Taste Pot restaurant owner was speaking to a bank teller when he suddenly seemed to look uncomfortable. In the nick of time, the teller and the branch manager at the bank acted on his instinct and saved the man’s life. Their gesture has Mok and his family rendering unending thanks by offering them a lifetime of free chicken wings at their restaurant. The employees relayed the incident to Mok’s daughter, Theresa, who shared the details.
She mentioned that her dad was speaking to the teller and his “face suddenly dropped." The employee noticed that one part of his face dropped and he was losing balance, per NBC 7 San Diego. He further saw the 89-year-old had stopped talking and had started leaning. Mok noted that he started feeling unwell, “and it suddenly just knocked me out.” The employee immediately used his observation and suspected signs of cardiac arrest. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are varied symptoms and signs of cardiac arrest. These include chest discomfort, sudden collapse, loss of consciousness or even feeling lightheaded and dizzy.
Dr. Dwight McFadden, Assistant Medical Director at Medical Mutual, shed some light on what to do in case someone seems to be showing signs of cardiac arrest. “Cardiac arrest is caused by a malfunction of the body’s electrical system,” he said. “Quickly make sure the scene is safe. You do not want to jump in and become part of the emergency yourself,” McFadden pointed out. The next step is to check for breathing and ask whether the person is okay. People are advised to immediately dial 911. Furthermore, the doctor also suggested cautiously carrying out CPR if the person is not breathing.
The teller immediately sprang into action and called his branch manager. They got the elderly man in a chair and quickly called 911. "They called 911 right away, and it was honestly that speed to call 911 that helped save his life," Theresa said. Mok was rushed to the hospital and surgeons removed a blood clot from his brain. The family was afraid about his condition but Theresa noted that she was glad it happened at the bank rather than on the road. The elderly man is under rehabilitation and is recovering well. Recalling what he called a near-death experience, Mok said that he believes he had an encounter with his late wife, who told him that it wasn’t his time just yet.
It is applause-worthy that the employee observed the signs and acted astutely to provide life-saving help. “We’re grateful our employees were able to assist Mr. Mok,” said a Wells Fargo spokesperson. They added that they are delighted to learn that Mok is doing well and mentioned that their employees are trained to respond smartly in such unprecedented situations. “In the rare situations where our customers are in distress, our employees are trained to contact emergency services,” they said. The family is grateful for the employees’ action and as suggested by Mok’s grandson, they were delighted to offer the employees a lifetime of free chicken wings from their restaurant.