BRIGANTINE -- Just five weeks ago 79 year old Helen Mackiewicz was fighting for her life. But she pulled through, and Wednesday, got to thank the people responsible for keeping her alive.

Five weeks ago, the Mackiewicz family was enjoying the last day of vacation at these two Brigantine houses.

"And the girls were going to the casino, and I didn't feel good enough to go, and the last thing I remember is handing her 50 bucks. I said, go win something at the casino, and then I don't remember anything until I woke up at the hospital." Helen Mackiewicz said.

Helen had collapsed on the third floor of the home, that's when her family stepped in.

"At that point, that's when my brother in law started yelling her name and I jumped over the sofa, and my mother in law was blue, and at that point I knew I needed to do CPR because there was no breathing, no heart rate, nothing," said Peg Mackiewicz, Helen's daughter-in-law.

"When we went in, we found that two of her family members had already started CPR, we later found out that they were nurses," said Brigantine Police Department patrolman Jack Glasser, who was one of the first units on the scene.

Police and firefighters used an automated external defibrillator, or AED, to shock Helen back to life.

"Before we knew it we got a call they were on the Brigantine Bridge, and they said she's talking. It was amazing, it was totally amazing, it was a miracle," Peg Mackiewicz said.

Wednesday evening Helen got to honor Peg and Kristen Mackiewicz, six Brigantine firefighters, and two policemen with life saving awards at Brigantine's council meeting.

"It's nice seeing her, seeing the family, the family thanking you. You know, that was my mom, that was my grandmother, that was my aunt, things like that," said Brigantine Police Department patrolman Todd Devine.

"It's amazing, absolutely amazing to see the family. Everybody's happy, Helen looked great, everybody looked amazing. It was a really great night," said Brigantine Fire Department Lt. Timothy Dailey.

"God Bless them all. Absolutely, God Bless them, they were wonderful. I think of them all the time when I go to church." Helen said.

The first responders said the availability of the AED's, and the extensive training helped add to their quick response. Helen Mackiewicz has made a quick recover, and said she feels great.