PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Four months after suffering a "widowmaker" heart attack while driving, Randy Yingling reunited with the people who saved his life at HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital.
Tampa Bay 28 anchor Deiah Riley was invited to celebrate this emotional reunion. She sat down with Randy Yingling and his son, Lucas Yingling, to learn about the incredible chain of events that led to this reunion.
In December 2025, Randy was driving with his 13-year-old son, Lucas, when his heart suddenly stopped.
Randy's wife, Patty Yingling, was on the phone with Lucas at the time of the medical emergency.
"I heard Randy say, 'I feel like I'm going to pass out.' And then Lucas said, 'Dad,' and then he screamed, um, call 911, and the phone went dead," Patty said.
Lucas sprang into action, grabbing the steering wheel and guiding the car off the road.
"I screamed his name because I didn't know if he was just like messing with me, so then I screamed it, and I knew something was wrong," Lucas said.
Former Hillsborough County Deputy Gianfranco Tascione was driving behind them, saw the crash, and ran to help.
"He was slumped over the wheel and Lucas was asking for help. So I immediately just jumped into action, try to get him out of the car, um, and I started chest compressions on him," Tascione said.
First responders arrived and transported Randy to the hospital, where doctors and nurses were ready. Dr. Rami Akel, chief of staff and one of the cardiologists who treated Randy, noted the collaborative effort required to save his life.
"Every person played a role. Every interaction mattered. And together we help guide Randy and the family through these darkest days," Akel said.
During the reunion, Pasco County Fire Rescue presented Lucas with a Lifesaver award.
"For his heroic efforts, we would like to give Lucas our Lifesaver award. Nothing I can say can carry the weight of what you did by seeing him here today, so I'm just going to hand you this," a Pasco County Fire Rescue representative said.
HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital honored Tascione with a Hero's award. Hospital CEO Sally Seymour emphasized the teamwork involved in the rescue.
"We often talk about the chain of survival, and today we get to see that chain in real life," Seymour said.
"It's about a life saved. Not by one person, but a chain of people who did exactly the right thing at exactly the right time," Seymour said.
For Randy and his family, the reunion represented courage, quick thinking, and second chances. Without Tascione's courageous actions, Randy would not have survived.
"It's overwhelming. I can't thank them enough. I just can't thank them enough," Randy said.
Everyone in the hospital conference room echoed the importance of knowing CPR, noting that people never know when they will need it to save a life.
This story was reported on air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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