ELLENVILLE, NY — When Ellenville resident and retired police officer Paul Craft, 60, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his home on May 29, 2025, the outcome could have been tragically different. Thanks to quick action by family members, first responders and the emergency and cardiac care teams at Ellenville Regional Hospital, Craft is alive today—back at work, back with his family, and back in the community he has long served.

After Craft collapsed at home, 911 was called immediately and CPR was started by a family member. Ellenville school resource officers arrived within minutes with an automated external defibrillator (AED), delivering lifesaving shocks before emergency medical services transported Craft to Ellenville Regional Hospital.

Upon arrival at the hospital’s emergency department, medical staff continued CPR, stabilized Craft and initiated advanced cardiac care, working quickly to prepare him for transfer to a higher-level cardiac center. 

Once stabilized, Craft was airlifted to Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) for specialized intervention.

At VBMC, Craft experienced another heart attack and was taken immediately to the cardiac catheterization lab, and five stents were placed. He spent nearly two weeks hospitalized, including time in the intensive care unit, before continuing recovery at Garnet Health.

On June 24, Craft returned home—and his recovery journey continued right back at Ellenville Regional Hospital, where he completed six weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. The program helped him safely rebuild strength, confidence, and heart health under the guidance of the hospital’s clinical team.

“Cardiac rehab at Ellenville Regional Hospital helped me get my life back,” Craft said. “They didn’t just save my life—they helped me learn how to live again.”

Just weeks after completing rehab, Craft proudly rode in the lead car of Ellenville’s Fourth of July parade. Today, he has returned to his post-retirement job managing a local golf course and, on November 15, walked his daughter Abbey down the aisle at her wedding—moments his family once feared might never come.

Craft will share his story of survival at the Hudson Valley Heart Walk on Saturday, April 25, at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh.

To register or learn more, visit www.dutchessulsterheartwalk.org.

About Ellenville Regional Hospital

Ellenville Regional Hospital (ERH) is a not-for-profit, critical access hospital located in Ellenville, NY. Committed to serving the health needs of our community with excellence and compassion, ERH provides a range of inpatient, outpatient and emergency services with a focus on quality, safety, and patient-centered care. To learn more visit www.erhny.org.