(ABC 6 News) – A team of rural paramedics, as well as an Olmsted County deputy and a pair of Mayo Clinic EMT’s, are being honored Monday, August 12 for their life-saving actions a couple months ago.

June 21 was just like any other Friday for Jesse Kosnopfal, a resident of the city of Dover.

“I went to go sit in my recline, like I always do,” Kosnopfal said. “And my wife happened to be sitting on the couch across from me.”

That’s when a heart attack hit him out of the blue.

“Next thing I know my wife said I just went in slow motion like a robot and keeled over.”

Kosnopfal’s wife, an employee at Mayo Clinic, immediately called 911 and began chest compressions.

Security footage inside the home showed an Olmsted County deputy was the first on scene, followed by Mayo EMT’s and then an Eyota ambulance.

The entire ordeal took about 30 minutes.

It could have been a much different outcome, however.

Without the quick actions of Kosnopfal’s wife and how close services like Eyota Ambulance were, he might not be here today.

“If she wouldn’t have been home,” he said, “there was nobody there but me and my dogs.”

Dover holds just under 800 people, and is one of the many cities and townships served by the Eyota Volunteer Ambulance service.

“(We do) anywhere from taking care of patients to just creating that one-on-one image with people,” said Madi Greenwaldt, one of the paramedics for Eyota Ambulance.

She was also one of the first responders that saved Kosnopfal’s life.

She says being the person to help people like him is one of the most gratifying parts of the job.

“Knowing that if we weren’t there, there may have been a different outcome, it’s truly rewarding,” she said.

It isn’t easy though. Rural ambulances like in Eyota are often plagued by tight budgets and low staffing.

But that doesn’t stop the volunteers at Eyota Ambulance from doing the job.

“You know, you figure if we’re coming from Mayo to out here, you’re going to wait 25-30 minutes for an ambulance,” Greenwaldt said. “Having us as a first response is beneficial just because we save that time.”

And Kosnopfal is more than grateful.

“These small towns, they need that,” he said. “I’m glad there’s these volunteers out there that willing to give their time for that.”