HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — A firefighter paramedic in Broward County is recovering after suddenly collapsing at work from a cardiac arrhythmia late last month.
Erik "The Hulk" Conde was nearing the end of his shift at Hallandale Beach Fire Rescue on Dec. 28 when he suddenly collapsed onto the floor of the station, his heart not pumping and his body not breathing.
His crew was able to get his heart re-started and remains in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Aventura Medical Center.
"The diagnosis is that Erik’s lungs were somehow injured, probably from an infection he’d been harboring as many of the patients we come in contact with are fighting an illness of one kind or another," fire rescue officials said in a statement.
WPLG in Miami reported that Conde was recovering and had been taken off an ECMO machine and the ventilator. He is currently still on oxygen but breathing on his own and in "amazing spirits."
"Erik has been taken off the ECMO machine and the ventilator. He is currently still on oxygen but breathing on his own and in amazing spirits," said his wife, Rachel Conde. "Doctors and nurses say he is truly a miracle patient and beat the odds. We are so blessed but still have a long journey ahead."
Conde, who has a wife and three children, has a long and potentially costly road to recovery, and a GoFundMe has been started to help pay for his medical expenses.
Courtesy of our news partner at NBC Miami
Best birthday ever! His recovery is nothing short of amazing, but what else would we expect from our #hallandaleshulk ? @MYHBeach @HallandaleBchPD pic.twitter.com/loyetpQ4dy
— HALLANDALE BEACH FR (@HBFIREPIO) January 6, 2019
