Whether it’s snacking or life-saving, NYPD officer Ronald Kennedy prefers Lays potato chips.
Kennedy, a former EMT turned cop, recounted his DIY rescue of a stabbing victim by using an empty Lays bag to seal a bleeding chest wound and save the man’s life. Despite the dire circumstances, Kennedy recalled how he instinctively knew what to do after arriving outside a bodega on July 7 to find victim Dylan Ubiles lying on the sidewalk fighting for breath.
He explained, “There was just an overwhelming sense of comfort in that scene. I’ve been dealing with emergencies for quite some time and I just know it’s best to keep the person calm, in any situation.”
Kennedy, with four years on the job after three years with city EMS, recalled how Ubiles’ breathing was labored as air entered the victim’s lungs though the gaping wound in his chest. The officer quickly told a bystander to run inside the bodega and grab a bag of chips and then asked for some tape from the store.
With the squared-off edges on the bag and the tape Kennedy created a seal so the victims lungs wouldn’t collapse.
He said, “I just needed something that was squared off at the edges and that particular size works well.”
The homemade seal worked and Ubiles was able to breathe easier.
In an exclusive interview with The News, Ubiles thanked the hero cop. He said, “He made sure I got to the hospital. He took care of me.”
Andrew Brown, commanding officer at the 18th Precinct praised his officers saying — “Who would have thought that one of my guys would have a MacGyver moment?”