‘Lucky to be alive’: Local pizza delivery driver helps customer having a seizure

FAIRLAWN, Ohio (WJW) – A local pizza delivery driver is being hailed as a hero after jumping into action to help a customer who was having a seizure.

Kendra Santiago, a pizza delivery driver for Domino's Pizza in Fairlawn, was working her usual shift Saturday night.

"I was getting ready for my delivery and there was a phone call, so I took it. It was Bob. He was like, 'I wanted to pay for the food,' and at the end, he's no longer on the line," said Kendra.

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This Akron mother of two decided to deliver the pizza to the Shiawassee Avenue home anyway.

Kendra said the man's wife answered the door.

"She said, 'I'm going to get your tip.' She goes to the backroom and comes back, she's like, 'he's not breathing,'" said Kendra.

Kendra immediately ran into the couple's home.

"He's like halfway off the bed seizing and I'm trying to calm her down. I go over there, elevate him, count his heart beat and call 911. And I'm trying to stay calm," said Kendra.

"I don't know what happened, but I guess I had an artery that had an aneurysm and it had started bleeding. I lost sight in my eye and was having floaters. Next thing I know, I was having seizures or something," said Bob Lopeman, of Fairlawn.

Paramedics rushed the 74-year-old to Akron General where his family said he had emergency surgery to stop the brain bleed.

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Bob said Kendra's fast actions stopped him from having a stroke or worse.

"Doctors said I would have died if they didn't get to it in time, so I'm lucky to be alive," said Bob.

Kendra has since gone to visit Bob in the hospital and introduce him to her daughtert.

"It was really hard, but I went into mommy mode where you just got to do it. I missed out on making some deliveries, but I'd rather save someone's life," said Kendra.