Heartwarming Reunion For Cops Who Saved Man's Life At Newark Airport

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ -- "If you have to die, it has to be in the right place, at the right time, surrounded by the right people ... I was lucky enough for that to be my reality." This was the reaction from Herbert Villa, a cardiac arrest survivor who recently got the chance to reunite with several of the police officers who saved his life at an airport in North Jersey.

Six months ago, a routine day at the airport turned into a life-or-death situation for outside of Terminal A when Villa when he began "seizing" at a TSA checkpoint in Terminal A, according to the Port Authority of New York-New Jersey.

A United Airlines employee flagged down three police officers who were on patrol in the area: Bryan Cardona, Anas Swailmyeen and Finn Ebersbach.

Here's what happened next, authorities said:

"Upon arriving, Officers Cardona responded to the scene and observed the man seizing and then found him to be unresponsive while Swailmyeen grabbed the medical bag and rush to the scene. The officers quickly assessed and without hesitation, they began administering CPR. Officer Finn Ebersbach arrived on scene with the AED and deployed it on Herbert Villa. He regained consciousness momentarily, but soon fainted again, prompting additional urgent action."

A fourth officer, Christopher Lopez, arrived on the scene shortly afterwards and provided vital support, continuing CPR efforts. Emergency medical services then took over, transporting Villa to the hospital for treatment.

"Despite being in critical condition, Mr. Villa fought through, remaining in the hospital for several weeks before making an incredible recovery after having triple bypass surgery," the Port Authority reported.

"At the end of the day, this is the ultimate gift—knowing that he gets another chance at life," the four officers said in a joint statement.

"We are beyond grateful for that," they added.

"If you have to die, it has to be in the right place, at the right time, surrounded by the right people. I was lucky enough for that to be my reality," said Villa, a New Jersey resident.

"How do you express gratitude to the people who gave you your life back?" he asked. "You can’t truly put it into words. Today, this is both my birthday and my 'rebirth day.' It’s the day I get to meet and celebrate with the heroes who made my second chance at life possible."

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