When firefighters arrived at Malcolm Hemphill's apartment in Southwest D.C. three weeks ago, Hemphill was technically dead.
But on Tuesday, everything was hugs and gratitude, as the 35-year-old D.C. man reunited with the fire crew that saved his life.
"[It was] hectic, chaotic," William Steele, an EMS paramedic with the D.C. Fire Department, said of that day three weeks before. "Like everything else, we've found, in this city."
"We were okay though. We had a really good crew that day," Steele said.
In the southwest apartment with his mom and his kids, Hemphill had stopped breathing and entered cardiac arrest. Hemphill's mother quickly called 911.
"I was in a panic," Teresa Patterson told News4.
His family could only watch and hope when medics arrived and began working on Hemphill. His heart stopped for at least 4 minutes.
He was dead -- but medics weren't giving up.
"All I could say was, 'Oh my God, please don’t take my child,'" Patterson said. "Not now."
It was a close call, but Hemphill is here today, with his grateful family, able to thank the heroes who saved his life.
"It's the biggest blessing to be brought back alive, to be here, to have a second chance, you know, to right wrongs and do things differently. And just be here for my mom, my children," Hemphill said.
Chief John Donnelly recognized the first responders for their life-saving efforts.
"They know the patient, they know his family," Donnelly said. "I think it goes a lot to say what our people care about."
And if you're thinking Hemphill is lucky -- he really is. This is the second time these same D.C. firefighters, from Engine 7, saved his life.
The crew received a similar call a few months ago when Hemphill was in distress.
Tuesday was the first time that the whole group was able to meet, without an emergency.
"Actually getting to see someone with their family, after multiple times having this happen, that's mind-blowing in itself," said Steele.
And for that mind-blowing luck and hard work, Hemphill is grateful.
"It’s a blessing I never thought I’d experience," Hemphill said, "but now that I have, it changed my whole out look out on life."
