New Jersey native returning from honeymoon saves woman suffering from mid-air medical emergency

NEW JERSEY — It was an extra memorable honeymoon for a New Jersey man after he helped save a woman on his flight home from Rome who was having a mid-air medical emergency.

“It was one of those situations that was almost like a movie. You don’t anticipate anything like that ever happening,” said Zachary Lazev.

He was in Italy for his honeymoon. The couple was on a United Airlines flight back to Newark, New Jersey when the flight attendant asked if there were any healthcare providers on the plane.

Lazev, an anesthesiology resident, jumped into action to help a woman, whose blood pressure had dropped dangerously low.

“(We) get IV access on the plane, start running fluids. I started pushing medications to sustain her blood pressure,” he said. “It’s on a plane so you have limited medical supplies.”

Two emergency nurses who were also on board helped out as well, but Lazev says he knew she wouldn’t make it across the Atlantic.

The plane turned around and landed in Paris, where French EMS were waiting.

The Marlton native credits his time at Drexel University, an internship at Einstein Hospital, and residency at St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson, New Jersey for being able to keep the woman alive until they touched down.

“We work in the operating rooms, a controlled environment. This certainly isn’t, but I will say sometimes you can surprise yourself at what you’re able to do,” he said.