‘I wouldn’t be here’: Cardiac arrest survivor credits quick thinking of emergency teams
A man who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at his home says he owes his life to the swift, coordinated response of dispatchers, neighbours and paramedics, crediting their “quick actions and professionalism” with giving him a second chance.
Tony Drake, from Alton, Hampshire, was sitting with his wife Elaine and daughter Hatty in December when he collapsed mid-sentence, unconscious and without a pulse. His daughter immediately dialed 999, and emergency call handler Kirsty Nolan walked her through chest compressions, keeping her calm through what she later described as “an unreal moment.”
While Hatty performed CPR, Nolan asked if a defibrillator was nearby. Elaine remembered a neighbor owned one and ran to borrow it. Although the neighbors were out, their 15-year-old son answered, grabbed the device and returned with Elaine, taking over CPR until professional crews arrived. The defibrillator delivered four shocks to restart Tony’s heart.
The first responders on scene were a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service crew, followed closely by two South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) ambulance teams and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance critical care car. The crews managed to revive Tony and transport him under blue lights to hospital, where he regained full consciousness.
Reflecting on the chain of events, Hatty said, “Kirsty kept me calm, talked me through exactly what I needed to do, and did an amazing job. It was as if she was right there by my side.” Elaine added, “From the moment we dialed 999 through to Tony’s treatment in hospital and being discharged home, everyone was absolutely brilliant. We can’t thank them enough.”
During a visit to SCAS’s Alton Resource Centre, Tony met paramedics Sarah Weldon and Isobelle Prince, as well as emergency dispatcher Imogen Cooper, who had been monitoring from the Otterbourne control room. He told them, “I am truly grateful to everyone who played a part in saving my life. Without their quick actions and professionalism, I simply wouldn’t be here today.”
Tony has since been fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and pacemaker and has made a full recovery. Despite extensive hospital investigations, doctors found no medical cause for his cardiac arrest — a mystery that underscores the importance of immediate bystander intervention in such emergencies, say experts. Cardiac arrest survival rates in the UK remain low, but prompt CPR and defibrillation can triple the odds of survival, according to the British Heart Foundation.
The South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust praised the community response, noting that every second counted in Tony’s case. “This story shows the value of public access defibrillators and the willingness of ordinary people to step up in a crisis,” a spokesperson said.