Vernon Couple Recalls LIfe-Changing Day With First-Responders

VERNON, CT — A Vernon couple made a visit to the local police department Wednesday to commemorate a life-changing — and life-saving — day with first-responders.

The day was July 20 and Vincent and Kate Bonaddio were in the midst of a typical workout on elliptical machines at a Vernon gym. It was about 10 a.m.

Suddenly, Vincent went into cardiac arrest.

"It was a little crazy. I was working out next to him and he was on the elliptical for about three minutes," said Kate Bonaddio, Vincent's, wife. "I looked at him and asked him if he was OK. He said he was fine. I turned by back and he collapsed and my elliptical hit him. His face was getting purple and he seemed to be losing oxygen.

Off-Duty Windsor police officer Andrew Bass was nearby and ran over to Vincent to begin chest compressions.

Abiut a minute after 911 was called, Vernon officer James Grzegorek wasthe the gym. A slew of first-responders followed, including Rob Marra, Dale Legace, Dave Provencher and Andre Lisee from the police department, Vernon EMTs Mike Colt and Jan Towler and AMR paramedic George Previs.

Vincent was given shocks with a defibrillator and other "advanced care" that continued through a transport to Rockville General Hospital/ECHN, police said.

By the time Vincent arrived at the hospital, he was awake and talking and on Wednesday showed signs of a full recovery, according to police.

"I'm feeling pretty well and I have a lot of my energy back," Vincent said. "I'm 32 and active and I'm pretty healthy. The whole thing was a shock."

Vincent said he was diagnosed with an arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern.

"I now have a sub-cutaneous defibrillator," he said.

Vincent works at MassMutual's parent office in Springfield and Kate teaches in the Springfield system. She said, though, they felt very at-home in Vernon when they received a check-in call from Marra, a sergeant and day shift supervisor at the VPD.

"That just meant to much to know this wasn't just another day in life of an officer," Kate said. "That was so above and beyond what needs to be done in that job."

She said she and Vincent just had to to to police headquarters for a visit.

"We loved being able to see them," Kate said. "As a teacher, I know how professions can be put down. "We didn't exactly get to chat that day, so to come back and thank them meant a lot. There aren;t abough happy stories about police in the news and I'm glad this turned out to be one of them."