GRAVESEND -- Joseph Tiralosi died and lived to tell about it.

The 56-year-old Gravesend father of two started feeling very faint in his car while coming back from a car wash in Manhattan on Aug. 17. He tried to drive himself to New York-Presbyterian Hospital but finally had to pull over. A friend who happened to call him on his cell phone rushed to him and took him to the hospital, where he collapsed.

Doctors and nurses started CPR, but his heart stopped. They then used a defibrillator, but his heart was still not pumping. After administering shocks with the defibrillator eight times, doctors then injected a solution to eliminate any blood clots. Finally, they felt a pulse.

In all, 45 minutes had passed. Normally, people suffering a heart attack will die within 10 minutes after the heart stops, or experience severe brain damage after only two or three minutes.

Tiralosi not only survived, but suffered no brain damage, doctors said.

“Extraordinary,” “a miracle,” and “came back from the dead” were among the descriptions doctors, nurses, and family used.