Diabetic says pollsters saved her life

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NEW YORK, April 21 (UPI) -- A New York woman says two telephone pollsters saved her life after her she grew confused and began breathing heavily while being questioned for a poll.

"I owe these two my life," Bobby Berlin, a 79-year-old diabetic, told the New York Post Friday.

During a telephone call for a poll on New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg Monday, Berlin became confused and started breathing heavily, said Jason Sokolowski, a poll-taker for the Marist Institute for Public Opinion at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

Sokolowski, a 20-year-old college junior who is a communications major, said he became alarmed and alerted his supervisor, Daniela Charter, 37.

"From the instant I said hello and the woman said hello back to me, it was evident that something was wrong," Charter said.

Charter called 911, and the dispatcher took Berlin's phone number and called emergency workers.

Authorities later informed Charter Berlin was going to live.

On Wednesday, Berlin, a former New York City elementary school teacher and stockbroker, met Sokolowski and Charter.

"Meeting the two people responsible for saving my life was a wonderful experience," Berlin said.