‘I never thought I would have to use my first aid skills on my mum’: Sons save their mum following cardiac arrest at Sunday lunch

A son recalled life-saving skills he had learned years before to help save his mother’s life when she collapsed following a family Sunday lunch at home.

After eating, Shelly, 60, from Camberwell, felt unwell. She went to the bathroom and fell to the floor. She had gone into cardiac arrest – where the heart stops pumping blood and oxygen around the body.

Her sons Harvey, 31, and Sid, 25, immediately started chest compressions while their father John ran downstairs to call 999. Harvey had been taught these skills when he worked at a primary school, while Sid had studied them online.

Shelly said: “I have learnt that my two sons took turns to do chest compressions until the ambulance crews arrived. As I’m their mum they didn’t give it a second thought.”

Harvey said: “The moment my mum went into cardiac arrest was surreal.

“I did first aid training while I was working in a school about seven years ago. Drawing on that training, given by paramedics, was really invaluable and helped me to remain calm.”

Harvey, who now works as an undergraduate admissions specialist, added: “I never thought that it would happen to us and that I’d need to use these skills. Having to do it on a family member, especially my mum, was difficult but you never know when you need to use them.”

John, 56, who works as a taxi driver, added: “We were so lucky that our two boys were there and knew what to do.

“And I can’t thank the paramedics enough – they were at our house so quickly and they were great.”

London Ambulance Service crews arrived in less than four minutes and delivered five shocks to Shelly with a defibrillator.

The crews urgently took her to King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill where she spent several days in the intensive care unit. Cardiologists placed a stent into her heart – a small mesh inserted to hold open narrowed blood vessels.

Shelly has since built back her strength following medication and cardiac rehabilitation – an individualised exercise programme which helps patients recover after a heart attack or cardiac arrest.

Earlier this month, following her recovery, Shelly and her husband John met the paramedics at Oval Ambulance Station.

Shelly added: “The ambulance crew were fantastic. I needed to go and meet them – and thank them – face to face. I know my sons did CPR but without the ambulance crews I wouldn’t be here.

“It was really amazing meeting the people who kept me alive.”

Emergency Medical Technician Emily O’Donoghue said: “It was lovely meeting Shelly and John. Shelly was the first patient I’ve been reunited with in my five years at the ambulance service.

“Her two sons acted quickly and provided very good chest compressions.

“For Shelly, that day was a normal day with Sunday lunch with her children and husband – it just goes to show, cardiac arrest can happen to anyone.

“That’s why it’s so important that Londoners sign up to become a Lifesaver and know how to use a defibrillator.”

London Ambulance Service is aiming to make London a city of lifesavers. It only takes a few minutes to learn the simple steps to take when someone is in cardiac arrest – register now.

Help us raise money for our Heart Starters campaign on our dedicated London Ambulance Charity website here or join us for the next London Life Hike in September to raise money for this vital cause.