Hallmark movie star, 35, died on Vegas birthday trip after staff stopped woman performing CPR on him during medical emergency, lawsuit alleges

An actor died of a sudden heart attack during his birthday trip to Las Vegas after restaurant staff allegedly failed to perform CPR — and even stopped a woman from trying to save him. 

Michael Heslin, 35, collapsed at Javier’s restaurant at the ARIA Hotel on the Strip in June while celebrating his birthday with husband Scotty Dynamo and friends. 

Heslin, who appeared in the Zoe Saldana series Lioness and TV movie The Holiday Proposal Plan, had been planning to start a family with Dynamo before the tragedy struck. 

Now, his husband has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing the restaurant of allowing an ‘avoidable tragedy’ through multiple ‘failures’ to provide lifesaving aid. 

The lawsuit, filed September 18, claims staff did nothing as Heslin ‘exhibited obvious signs of a medical emergency’ and instead ‘forcefully interfered’ with a diner who attempted CPR. 

But the staff did not take any action despite Heslin ‘exhibiting obvious signs of a medical emergency,’ according to the lawsuit. 

Another nearby patron then began performing CPR on the actor, but an employee ‘forcefully interfered’ and ‘prevented her from continuing compressions on Michael and interrupted this lifesaving measure,’ the filing claims. 

Although an AED was in the restaurant, the lawsuit alleges that it was never retrieved, and states that Heslin’s friends were ‘forcefully removed’ from the restaurant as the horror unfolded. 

The lawsuit alleges five counts of wrongful death; loss of consortium; negligence; negligent hiring, retention, training and supervision; and gross negligence, per the Las Vegas Review Journal. 

It is alleged that after the restaurant staff prevented the other patron from helping Heslin, his friends were ‘threatened with arrest’ for trying to step in to provide lifesaving efforts. 

When Heslin’s friends tried to record the incident, the restaurant employees ‘demanded’ their videos be deleted, according to the lawsuit. 

The filing is seeking damages in excess of $30,000, funeral expenses, and punitive damages because Heslin’s death was ‘a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ acts and omissions’, it is claimed. 

Heslin’s husband said in a heartbreaking Instagram post following the actor’s death that his passing came as a complete shock, saying that he was ‘young, in perfect health, and the doctors have no explanation for what happened.’ 

‘Michael was brilliant, selfless, talented, and a real-life guardian angel,’ Dynamo wrote. 

‘He was the first person everyone would call to share good news with, and he was the perfect person to call if they needed a shoulder to lean on or the best advice. 

‘He truly was the sweetest, most caring, and loving man on earth, and he brought out the absolute best in everyone who had the pleasure to cross paths with him.’ 

Dynamo said that Heslin ‘single-handedly carried me through multiple rounds of cancer’ and said that meeting him ‘was the best thing to ever happen to me.’ 

He said that just one week before Heslin’s death, they were ‘in the early stages of starting a family and would regularly share our favorite baby names for our future kids.’

‘You always told me that you felt like you were meant to be a dad, and I couldn’t agree more. You would be the world’s most perfect father. If I ever become a dad, I am going to name my son after you and hope that I manage to raise him to become at least half the man you are.’ 

He added that Heslin was an organ donor, and had ‘given the gift of life to four different families’ following his passing. 

Daily Mail has contacted MGM Resorts International, which operates Aria, for comment.