Three city lifeguards were honored last week for saving a man who suffered cardiac arrest while playing table tennis at a Plano recreation center — an outcome fire officials say is rare and a direct result of their fast, composed response.
Plano Fire-Rescue presented Zane Arnold, Christopher Gardener and Brandon Lekas with a Lifesaving Award during a ceremony March 19 at Carpenter Park Recreation Center. Each received a certificate, patch and challenge coin. The man they saved, Zelong Dong, attended with his family to personally thank them and presented paramedics and parks and recreation staff with plaques of appreciation.
“I shouldn’t be able to stand here, but I’m standing here all because of you,” Dong said. “You are the reason I can get home and see my wife and play with my friends again and enjoy everyday life. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”…