Shane Petruzzelli was playing at the Laser Bounce Family Fun Center in Levittown on Friday, April 14 when his mother, Samantha Wendt, suffered a sudden ventricular fibrillation. Facebook.
A dangerous arrhythmia quickly brought the boy’s heart to a complete stop.
“I performed CPR on my sweet baby boy,” Winter said. “I still don’t know how I did it.”
Officers from the Nassau County Police Department arrived minutes later and found the boy unresponsive and without a pulse, the agency said in a statement.
Officers took over CPR and used an automated external defibrillator (AED). Shane remained unresponsive after receiving a shock to the chest.
Two police paramedics arrived and administered “advanced life support intervention” and were able to get the boy breathing again, the department said.
“There are no words to describe the sheer horror I felt in that moment,” Winter wrote on Facebook. “With God watching, we were able to make his heart beat again.”
Sean was rushed to Nassau University Medical Center, where doctors stabilized his breathing and pulse, according to police.
He was later transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at Cohen Children’s Hospital, where he will spend the next 16 days, his aunt Jennifer Winter-Donaruno said in an interview. to fund me Designed to help families pay for medical care.
Doctors eventually told Wendt that Shane had a cardiac fibroma, a rare tumor of the heart.
“Shane underwent several tests in Cohen, and our family is pleased to know that he did not lose brain activity while in a coma,” Wendt-Donneruno said.
On April 30, Shane was transferred to Boston Children’s Hospital after being cleared to undergo life-saving open-heart surgery.
Doctors removed 90 percent of the tumor from his heart. He spent a few more days in the intensive care unit as hospital staff monitored his recovery.
Finally, on Wednesday, May 10, Wendt-Donneruno updated his followers that “Super Sean” is recovering well and will be coming home from the hospital.
“We are so grateful to all the hospital staff, from the doctors and nurses to the research team, and all those behind the scenes who provided the care our beautiful boy needs today,” she said.
During the homecoming celebration on Thursday, May 11, dozens of community members waited to greet the boy, including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blackman and several members of the Nassau County Police Department. Spider-Man even makes an appearance.
Several officers lined up holding cards that read “#ShaneStrong.”
As he addressed the crowd, Blackman admitted he “choked up” when Sean’s brother cried and hugged the boy.
Winter then took the phone to thank first responders and doctors at Kern Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital.
“We are so grateful to our friends, our families, our community, and the law enforcement officers who showed up and saved our boy,” she told the crowd.
“You all helped us through our darkest days. Thank you.”
As of Friday, May 12, the GoFundMe campaign had raised nearly $47,000 of its $100,000 goal.Interested donors can do it here.
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