Farmers Branch police and firefighters honored for life-saving actions

For Federico Gonzalez, 62, the 2025 holiday season was especially meaningful. Just days before Thanksgiving, Gonzalez’s life was forever changed when quick-thinking first responders and the compassionate team at Medical City Las Colinas came together to save him after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

On Nov. 6, 2025, bystanders called for help when Gonzalez collapsed in a parking lot. Farmers Branch police officers were the first to arrive and found him unconscious and unresponsive. They immediately began chest compressions and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to deliver a critical shock to his heart. Paramedics arrived a short time later and took over life-saving measures. They determined Gonzalez was experiencing cardiac arrest, a sudden loss of heart function that stops blood flow to the brain and body. Gonzalez was rushed to Medical City Las Colinas where he was stabilized in the emergency room and then transferred to Medical City Heart Hospital for advanced cardiac care.

Thanks to the swift response of the Farmers Branch Police and Fire Departments, along with the coordinated efforts of Medical City Healthcare’s care teams, Gonzalez made a remarkable recovery and returned home just three days before Thanksgiving. In recognition of their life-saving actions, Gonzalez joined Medical City Las Colinas in honoring four police officers and five firefighters with 2026 Life Saver Awards.

This case underscores the vital collaboration between Farmers Branch Police, Fire/EMS and the skilled teams at Medical City Las Colinas and Medical City Heart Hospital. This is an inspiring reminder of how lives are saved every day through training, skill, heart and Medical City’s comprehensive system of care.

Learn more about heart health and the cardiovascular program available at Medical City Las Colinas.