Off-duty Johnston firefighter resuscitates fan at Patriots game

JOHNSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — An off-duty Johnston firefighter sprang into action Sunday night at Gillette Stadium — performing CPR and resuscitating a man who he says was suffering from a cardiac arrest.

Anthony Colella was at the Patriots game Sunday night when he heard a commotion next to his seats.

“There was a male on the ground,” said Colella. “He didn’t look good. As a firefighter, you know that’s not normal.”

With the help of Needham firefighter Mark McCullough, Colella performed CPR on the man for about ten minutes. He says the man had no pulse and wasn’t breathing.

He added, “We went to work, that’s what we train for.”

Colella told ABC 6 the man came to after ten minutes and was responsive as he was taken away by emergency services.

“You start to just think about him and his son,” said Colella. “He was trying to have a beautiful night and now he’s in a hospital.”

The two off-duty firefighters now hope to reconnect with the man.

Colella finished, “My biggest goal … is to shake his hand again someday and have a positive outcome.”