A 78-year-old Italian man woke up half an hour after doctors declared him dead, DPA reported, BTA reported.
The man from the city of Tarquinia suffered a cardiac arrest. Paramedics who arrived at his home stopped their efforts, declaring him dead, and got back on their medical helicopter, DPA specifies.
Before they took him to the morgue, however, the man opened his eyes and asked about his daughters. He was taken to hospital, where he is currently being treated, and his condition is described as stable.
This rare case of "resurrection" is called "the Lazarus phenomenon", DPA notes. In it, after an unsuccessful attempt at resuscitation, the patient's heart function suddenly returns. The term is inspired by the Bible, in which Jesus resurrects Lazarus.
DPA adds that when the police arrived on the scene, the patient's dog attacked a police officer as he entered the apartment. The officer is under medical observation, and the dog has been taken to a shelter.