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Old Bridge, N.J. Mayoral Candidate Saves Woman's Life While Campaigning Door To Door

MATAWAN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A Middlesex County man sensed something wasn't right at a stranger's home and ended up saving a life.

David Merwin, an Old Bridge Township councilman, was going door to door Saturday introducing himself and passing out fliers for his mayoral run when he noticed something strange at a home on Louisiana Drive in the Cheesequake Village adult community.

"And I recognized that the lights were on. There were days and days worth of mail.  Finally, on the third window I could see a body laying on the ground," Merwin said.

He called 911 and went around back and kicked in the sliding glass door.

mayoral candidate save a life
Old Bridge, N.J. mayoral candidate David Merwin (Photo: CBS2)

"I seen a little movement of her leg," Merwin said. "There was definitely evidence that she was there multiple days."

Police said 68-year-old Rose Sweeney was rushed to the hospital conscious and breathing. Neighbors were shaken up. Dennis Winters said a group does walk around and do wellness checks weekly.

"They go around, people they know are alone or sometimes they need someone to take them shopping," Winters said. "Especially the people like the shut-ins. They need help because she lives alone."

"I felt so bad when I heard about it. I got very emotional. I feel so sorry for her," a neighbor named "Helen" added.

Baker spoke to Sweeney's family members inside the Raritan Bay Medical Center. They said they are extremely thankful to Merwin and that she is still very weak.

"It is very important that those living alone have some kind of alert system. And that's, 'Help me. I've fallen and I get up. Well, this is literally the woman that couldn't get up," Merwin said.

Merwin has been on the EMS squad for 47 years. His very first call in 1972 was to the same neighborhood.

Merwin is a volunteer for the First Aid Squad and said he has answered more than 8,000 calls. For this one, he was certainly at the right place at the right time.

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