Deputies save Moore County man from heart attack during evacuation

Jose Vizario went back to get medicine from his home near Vass during the flooding on Wednesday when he experienced chest pains.

Two Moore County deputies who were following him to his house found the 57-year-old man unresponsive. Crains Creek Fire Chief Kenneth Mackey said deputies used an automated external defibrillator to get Vizario’s heart going again.

“We cleared for the shock and actually shocked him and after shocking, we went back to doing compressions and CPR and we got him back too,” Mackey said.

Vizario underwent double bypass surgery at Moore Regional Hospital on Thursday and was released Tuesday. His first stop was to thank the men who saved him.

“I remember waking up in the back of the sheriff’s pickup. Then, after that, when I got to the hospital, they said they could repair it, the only thing they could do is surgery,” he said.

Vizario said the two deputies and fire chief are now members of his family.