“Without them, I wouldn’t be here today” — a man who nearly died while holidaying on the Isle of Wight has thanked Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) for saving his life.
Gary, from Eastleigh, has paid tribute to the “amazing team” that flew to his side after he suffered a cardiac arrest in July.
Gary collapsed to the floor after while having lunch with his wife Penny and their two friends in Godshill.
“He was turning blue and we couldn’t find a pulse – it was very frightening,” said Penny.
One of their friend’s commenced CPR, but there was no sign of Gary responding.
Two nurses who happened to be in the pub and saw the commotion rushed to Gary’s side and took over CPR.
Penny continued:
"We were shouting for him to come back and that he couldn’t die now.
"But it was just a losing battle. It was so scary. There was nothing more that she [the nurse] could do."
Moments later, paramedics and doctors from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance arrived on scene.
“They were amazing – so calm and professional. And they kept me informed of everything they were doing to Gary", Penny said.
The team took over CPR and loaded Gary onto the helicopter before flying him to University Hospital Southampton.
Five weeks later, Gary was released from hospital with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted, in case of similar incidents in future.
“Without them, I wouldn't be here today,” said Gary. "There's no way I would have survived.”
The charity’s CEO, Richard Corbett, said:
“We don’t stop for Christmas. You will still hear us flying overhead responding to patients just like Gary who are in a critical, life-threatening condition. The support we have received over the years and throughout the past 18 months in particular has been simply incredible. And it is because of that support that many of our patients are able to celebrate Christmas this year.”
HIOWAA responded to 134 potentially life-saving call-outs last December, including five on Christmas day, and experienced its busiest month of the year so far in October, responding to 146 call-outs.
The charity has launched its Christmas appeal. Supporters can donate through the website.
It costs the Air Ambulance Charity approximately £15,000 a day to maintain its service, with each mission costing on average £2,882.
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