New York Troopers Rescue Heart Patient Stranded in Snowstorm

A coordinated effort involving law enforcement, medical staff, and transportation teams ensured a 64-year-old woman reached Cleveland for a life-saving heart transplant.

A 64-year-old woman traveling from Rochester, NY to Cleveland for a heart transplant became stranded in a severe snowstorm on Route 5 near Portland, NY.
The woman relied on a battery-powered heart pump, which was running low, prompting her husband to contact the Cleveland Clinic for help.
New York State Police used a Utility Task Vehicle to transport the couple to a local fire department and then to Westfield Memorial Hospital for initial medical assessment.
Troopers coordinated further transportation to Jamestown Airport, where the woman was flown to Cleveland in time for the critical transplant procedure.
The rescue highlighted the importance of teamwork and quick decision-making, as troopers also assisted over 100 motorists during the storm.