KATOWICE, Poland, Jan. 26 (UPI) — A Polish funeral director said he opened the coffin of a 76-year-old man to retrieve items for the bereaved family only to discover the man was still alive.
Jerzy Wisniewski, a spokesman for the Regional Ambulance Service in Katowice, said beekeeper Josef Guzy collapsed near his barn and was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor, The Times of London reported Tuesday.
“There were no signs of life when his wife called the ambulance. An experienced doctor with a specialist qualification in resuscitation found that the patient was not breathing, there was no heartbeat and the body had cooled — all the characteristics of death,” Wisniewski said.
However, funeral director Darius Wysluchato said he opened Guzy’s coffin later that day to retrieve a necklace for the man’s wife and discovered a pulse.
“I happened to touch the artery in the neck and was totally shocked. I checked it again and shouted, ‘There is a pulse.’ My assistant checked as well. I leaned in close and I could tell that he was still breathing. My God, it was a miracle,” Wysluchato said.
Guzy was rushed to intensive care and was released from the hospital after a few weeks of treatment. He said he is grateful to Wysluchato for finding his signs of life.
“The undertaker saved my life. I am so grateful. The first thing I did when I got out of hospital was take him a pot of honey,” he said.
Ah, Pot of Honey! That’s a thank-you of Pooh Bear proportions!
Lucky there was no autopsy or embalming…
cough….terry shivo….cough
cough….terry schiavo autopsy report….cough
“A Polish funeral director said he opened the coffin of a 76-year-old man to retrieve items for the bereaved family”
Yeah, suuuuuuure…
I’m glad that doesn’t happen all the time. What a fortunate guy.