EAMC Security Guard Aids Mississippi Truck Driver During Heart Attack

OPELIKA, Ala.—As his 18-wheeler rolled along Interstate 85, Bruno Cantu found himself having a medical emergency nearly 300 miles away from his home in Gulfport, Mississippi. He’d begun having chest pains, shortness of breath and other signs of a heart attack, and knew he needed help. 

“I called my wife and said, ‘I don’t feel too good, something is not right,’ and she told me to find a hospital or truck stop and pull over,” Cantu recalled. “I saw the sign that says hospital, so I pulled in, parked by CVS Pharmacy, and walked across the road (to East Alabama Medical Center). The next thing I know, I’m leaning up against the building.”

Courtney Allen, a security representative at East Alabama Medical Center, noticed Cantu and approached him to see if he could help. Cantu explained to Allen that he was not feeling well and believed he may be having a heart attack. Allen, recognizing the severity of the situation, grabbed the keys to a nearby Security golf cart and drove Cantu to the Emergency Department. 

“He got me there and got me in,” said Cantu. “That is the reason why I am still here today.”

Once they had reached the Emergency Department, physicians confirmed that Cantu was having a heart attack, and that his condition required emergency open-heart surgery. Cantu, who turns 52 in November, has a family history of heart problems. His father battled heart problems, and his twin brother had undergone quadruple bypass surgery just last December.

After a successful surgery, Cantu spent the next few days recovering in the CVICU before being moved to a room in the hospital’s Cardiac Stepdown unit. He and his wife, Penny, had asked if they could meet with Allen and offer him their thanks. 

“I needed to shake his hand because it was thanks to him that I am still here,” Cantu said. “He put the extra effort out there to make sure that I was okay. He’s the reason my grandkids still have their papa.”  

The Cantus met with Allen on the stepdown unit on Oct. 2 to offer thanks and talk about Cantu’s plans after recovering. During their reunion, Allen was surprised to hear that his actions saved Cantu’s life. Physicians had told Cantu if he had arrived five minutes later, the chances of him surviving were low.   

“I wasn’t going to leave (Cantu) out there,” Allen said. “We come across so many people each day just doing our regular activities that I didn’t even realize I had done anything special.”

After discussing his condition, surgery and recovery, Cantu learned that Allen has been accepted into trucking school at Southern Union. They exchanged phone numbers. Allen said, “if you need someone to talk to at night to keep you awake while you’re driving, just call me.” Cantu provided some tips-of-the-trade and offered to speak with him any time Allen is on the road and needs to chat. 

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About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital, while EAMC-Lanier provides emergency and outpatient services, as well as a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.