Three Boston Pizza employees in Edmonton are being credited with saving the life of a customer.

Alfred French, 78, was alone in the restaurant on Calgary Trail when he went into cardiac arrest. His wife was outside waiting for their daughter to arrive.

That’s when Roger Brodeur, the owner of the Boston Pizza jumped into action, grabbing the restaurants defibrillator.

“Timing is everything so we knew we needed to act quickly,” said Brodeur. “Not just the defibrillator itself but having the CPR training to do the chest compressions after.”

The workers restarted his heart before emergency crews arrived, something the French family is grateful for.

“EMS had told me if they had waited until EMS came he probably wouldn't be here or he'd be in much worse shape if he was,” said Jo Ann Komarnisky, French’s daughter.

French says he doesn’t remember anything until he woke up in the hospital.

French’s family says they credit the staff members for saving his life. 

Brodeur says the incident is an opportunity to recommend lifesaving training for others, because you’ll never know when you’ll need it.

With files from CTV Edmonton’s Nicole Weisberg