Congressman Chris Smith honored a 28-year police veteran on Friday evening in Spring Lake by presenting him with a national award for his work in saving the life of a father of two.

    “The Talmud says ‘whoever saves one life, saves the entire world.’ Every life is precious, unique and irreplaceable,” Smith said on Friday at an event hosted by the Spring Lake Heights Police Officers Association.

    Smith presented Sergeant Andy O’Neill of the Spring Lake Heights Police Department with the ServiceWear Apparel Workwear MVP 2017 award, which O’Neill won after being one of 50 nominees nationwide for the award. He will receive $1,000, as well as $1,000 worth of apparel from ServiceWear.

    On June 18, Father’s Day, O’Neill was working a shift that he was not scheduled for, due to his voluntarily giving up his day off so another officer with a newborn son could be home with his family. He responded to an emergency call where a father of two daughters had suffered a cardiac arrest in front of his family.

    O’Neill, an emergency medical technician, worked with fellow emergency responders to administer CPR and successfully revive the man, saving his life.

    “It took a team, but that team, that day had an extraordinary leader. And the man whose heart had stopped is here tonight,” Smith said.

    Smith also called attention to the work of police officers and first responders in serving the public.

    “Thank you Andy–and every police officer–for making our community safer,” he said. “And special thanks to your families for the sacrifice you made.”

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