First responders honored at Desert Regional takes on added meaning after bombing

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – After Saturday's deadly bombing in Palm Springs, medical professionals are highlighting those who run towards danger to save others.

Desert Care Network planned its National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week ceremony well before the blast rocked the Palm Springs community. Hospital leaders, though, used the opportunity to honor first responders from the Palm Springs Fire Department, Cal Fire Riverside County, and American Medical Response (AMR) who performed "extraordinary lifesaving efforts" during emergencies in the Coachella Valley this year.

The ceremony wrapped up just after noon at Desert Regional Medical Center on Tuesday.

In attendance: Luan Mitani, a 15-year-old teenager who went into cardiac arrest at a Palm Springs pool in April. A bystander, Maria Calderon, performed CPR on the teen before ambulance and paramedic crews arrived to rush him to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he made a full recovery.

His mother, Akiko Mitani, expressed her gratitude to the first responders who stepped in to save her son. "My appreciation continues to grow every day, and I can't express my gratitude in words," she says.

"This instance is so rare that you could not only get the patient who survived together, but get the EMS crew together, too. ... [Having] everybody here to reunite... it pulled on the heartstrings. It was amazing," says Greg Boyles, the Business Development Manager at Desert Care Network, who served as an emcee of the event.

This led to an emotional moment at the ceremony for Boyles as he introduced the victim and his mother: "To see Luan and Akiko here, smiling in whole. Reminds us … why we do this," he said, choking up. "It’s about families reunited. Futures restored. And love that endures."

Assistant Chief Greg Lyle, of the Palm Springs Fire Department, was also recognized for his efforts to save embryos in the fertility clinic that was targeted in the attack.

Hospital leaders also expressed its gratitude to staff who kept the hospital open in the hours following the blast.

"There was a lot we didn't know when it initially happened, and these caregivers continued to take care of our patients, keep them safe. And we are. We're just tremendously proud of everything that they do," said Mike Ditoro, the CEO of Desert Regional Medical Center.

The hospital sustained some damage in the explosion, including a lot of broken glass, but no structural damage. Ditoro provided an optimistic update to the repairs after the event: "We expect to be completely open on the outpatient side by the end of this week. Just truly amazing work. A lot of glass damage, but nothing structural, no integrity issues of the building."

We'll have the latest updates as Palm Springs continues to rebuild. Be sure to stay with KESQ.