Man commended for rescuing driver suffering from epilepsy

Jeon Ji-hun (right) receives a certificate of appreciation from the Ulsan Nambu Fire Station (Courtesy of Ulsan Nambu Fire Station)

A 33-year-old man who saved a woman suffering from an acute case of epilepsy while driving was commended by the city rescue authorities on Monday.

Jeon Ji-hun received a certificate of appreciation from the Ulsan Nambu Fire station for his role in saving a 50-something-year-old driver in Nam-gu, Ulsan, on March 28. At around 10:26 p.m., her car had stopped in the middle of the road, not responding to honking of other cars for a full three minutes.

Jeon, who was driving the car behind her, stepped out of the vehicle and found that she was having a seizure. He called the 119 emergency services and waited for the rescue workers.

But the car then started moving again and ran into parked vehicles. Another person -- an owner of a local store -- handed Jeon a hammer, which he used to break the glass and get her out of the car.

Jeon led the resuscitation process, spreading out her limbs to help the blood circulate. He had basic knowledge related to emergency rescue, based on his background of working at a local fitness center.

Rescue workers who arrived on the scene later told local media that his actions in promptly getting the woman out of the car saved crucial time needed in emergency medical care.

"We would like to thank (Jeon) for his prompt rescue efforts, when he could have easily just passed by. ... We hope that more people become aware of such stories of our local heroes, since citizens' actions could be crucial in saving lives," Ulsan Nambu Fire Station Chief Kim Gyu-ju said.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)