Tarquinia, Italy - A 78-year-old man in Italy who doctors had declared to be dead woke up half an hour later, according to authorities on Sunday.

The man from the town of Tarquinia suffered a cardiac arrest. Paramedics initially gave up on him and an air ambulance turned back.

While authorities were waiting for the hearse, he reportedly opened his eyes and asked for his daughters.

The man was brought to hospital and is being treated as an inpatient. Doctors reported his condition is stable.

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Medics call such cases the "Lazarus syndrome," named after a biblical story in which Jesus resurrects a man. The rare and poorly understood phenomenon involves the return of cardiovascular function after a failed resuscitation attempt.

There was also a further twist to an already bizarre story.

It turned out the elderly man's dog attacked a police officer who was attempting to enter the apartment, according to authorities.

The officer required treatment at the hospital, while the dog was taken to an animal shelter.