Kurtis Blow is thanking the LAPD for saving his life after a reported heart attack. The 57-year-old rap pioneer, born Kurtis Walker, collapsed in front of officers outside of a mall in Woodland Hills, Calif. last Saturday (Oct. 29).
“I died and those officer saved my life. The police saved my life, a black man,” said Walker from his hospital bed. “In this day and age people need to hear that.”
At around 9 p.m. local time, Officers Chris Verge, Pete Parra, and Calvin Hill, were responding to what was said to a robbery call that turned out to be an argument between Walker and his son at a bus stop. Walker passed out as officer approached, and they immediately jumped to help.
“I was holding his head making sure he as stable, making sure his airways were open,” Verge explained, according to L.A.’s KABC news.
The Harlem native, passed out and stopped breathing more than once, prompting officers to perform CPR until paramedics arrived, roughly five minutes later.
While the cops say they were just doing their jobs, and don’t need any special recognition, had they not sprung into action, Walker is sure that he wouldn’t be alive today.
“If they got there any later, I would have died. I want to thank the officers from the bottom of my heart,” he said adding, “No pun intended.”