Editor's note: After this story aired and was posted 7 News Detroit was contacted to say that the man had passed away. This story has been updated with the new information as well as reaction from his family that was passed on to us.
Saving lives as a paramedic is nothing out of the ordinary for Ben Roth, but there was something different about it Sunday.
Roth, who lives in Texas, was off-duty and all the way in Chicago's Soldier Field with his six-year-old daughter when it seemed fate was still working to put him in the right place at the right time.
Roth was in the Windy City to see the Detroit Lions. He has season tickets and has been a fan since the days of the legendary Barry Sanders. And as fans were settling in at Soldier Field to watch the game, Roth spotted someone wearing a shirt from the University of North Texas.
"And that's a random shirt to see anywhere outside of Texas, especially at a Chicago Bears game, and I said, 'Hey, go Mean Green!'" Roth told 7 News Detroit, adding that he went over to talk to the young man who was at the game with his uncle.
As the families were chatting, the man gave Roth and his little girl a couple of passes to get down onto the field.
"They had two extra passes because his wife got sick and couldn't go," Roth said.
And moments after Roth and his daughter got down onto the field, they overheard someone saying that a man had collapsed.
Roth, state troopers, and staff from the Bears organization worked together to save a man who had gone into cardiac arrest. He was taken to the hospital.
Unfortunately, Roth contacted 7 News Detroit after this story originally aired to say that the man they aided had passed away.
"I was notified by the family that he passed after talking and joking at the hospital surrounded by family and friends last night," Roth told us Monday evening.
He added that the family was grateful that they were able to spend some time with him before he passed.
Illinois State Police thanked Master Sergeant Hansen, Sergeant Decatur, Trooper Resendez, and the off-duty paramedic in a Facebook post on Monday.
Roth is thankful they were all in the right place at the right time.
"The Lions winning was nice, but the reason I kept saying miracle is just like, one thing had to happen after another," he said. "I want the Lions to win, but somebody getting to see their family or somebody getting to talk to their family - far more important."
