This Easter weekend will always hold a special place in the heart of a Whittier man who almost lost his life on the job more than 13 years ago. 

On this Good Friday, Hermelindo Monroy was able to thank one of the firefighters who saved his life.

Doctors thought the 57-year-old would not be able to survive the horrific incident on Aug. 10, 2010. He was electrocuted with 10,000 watts of electricity running through his body, severely burning his head and 70% of his body.

“The day has always been in my heart,” the father of two and grandfather of three said in Spanish. 

Monroy said he was working as a fumigator on the roof of a Los Alamitos home when the power lines above him sparked. He recalled hearing a loud pop and feeling like his skin was boiling. 

“The doctor told us, ‘Say your last goodbyes because your dad has 48 hours of life, and this is it,” said Nancy Monroy, 28, Hermelindo’s daughter.

She told us her father spent several months in the hospital. And when he was released, he recounted what he remembered from that day. 

As he was in and out of consciousness, one of the firefighters who saved him said something to the effect of, “If this man survives, we should meet him someday.”

After waiting for more than a decade, Monroy finally got to hug Michael Macshane, one of the firefighters who rescued him on that roof.

Macshane is now a captain at fire station 71 in Santa Ana.

“It’s always good to get the end of the story we don’t often see,” said Macshane. “Especially when it’s a good outcome like this.”

The two men share a life-changing experience and now an emotional reunion they will never forget. They also have faith on this Friday – a good Friday indeed.

“To know and to reaffirm that there’s something out there much bigger than all of us, always watching over us,” said Macshane. 

Monroy wants people to know, if you see a firefighter and hear the sirens, pull over and give them space to work because you never know about the person they’re getting ready to save.