‘Guardian angel’: Family thanks officer who saved their dad ‘s life with CPR

‘Guardian angel’: Family thanks officer who saved their dad ‘s life with CPR
An Omaha family met the man they call their guardian angel after a near-fatal incident happened in a Subway restaurant.

WOWT reports the situation started with a trip to an area Walmart on May 6 for Michael Freeman.

“I really don’t remember the trip to Walmart, but my wife said I called her and asked if she wanted something from Subway,” Michael Freeman said.

Moments later, Freeman went into cardiac arrest.

“The next thing I remember was waking up in the emergency room,” Michael Freeman said.

Just feet away from him was off-duty Omaha police officer Keith Lampert, and the 17-year police veteran rushed to help.

“I saw Mike was laying on the ground, arms out, stretched looking at the ceiling,” Lampert said. “We went right into CPR and gave him chest compressions. He came back and started breathing slowly.”

Freeman was rushed to a nearby hospital in rough shape but alive, and after days of treatment, he was able to return home.

On Wednesday, the two men had an emotional reunion. The Freeman family embraced the officer who gave them more time with their dad.

Freeman’s son, Marlon, said in a time when you hear so much about race relations and police, the near-tragedy comes with an important reminder for the entire community.

“I feel like there’s a lot of officers out there just doing their jobs who are really genuinely good people,” Marlon Freeman said.

The Freeman family said they have a forever bond with the officer they call their guardian angel.

“When we greeted, we shook hands, and when I got up, I realized shaking hands wasn’t enough. I wanted to give him a hug,” Michael Freeman said.

Michael Freeman’s recovery continues, and his family said he is scheduled to undergo surgery in the coming weeks to unclog an artery.