A Hartlepool man has thanked the medics that flew to his aid after he suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this year.
Daryl Sanders, his mother Susan Ray and father Alan Sanders, have personally thanked the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) team that treated him after the emergency on July 20.
The 29-year-old father-of-one said it was “amazing” to meet paramedics Paul Burnage and Marcus Johnson who rushed to the scene.
Recalling the incident, he said: “I was getting ready for work when I started getting some palpitations. I called my mam and then I dropped to the floor by the back door, hitting my face on the wall. She then started CPR.”
Quick thinking Susan, 52, performed chest compressions on her son before rapid response paramedics arrived and GNAAS flew their specialist team to his side. The on-board crew placed Daryl into a medically induced coma.
Susan said: “I was completely panic stricken. It’s all a blur to be honest. You never want to be faced with having to do CPR on your son.”
Daryl, who owns his own block paving and landscaping business, spent two days in a coma and two weeks in James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.
He said: “I might not be here without them. I feel very lucky. I don’t take much for granted anymore.”
The family handed over £2,200 to the charity which was raised at a recent garden party which they held at home in Greenock Road.
Daryl said: “Everyone was generous because they know what a good cause it is.”
More than 100 people attended the party which saw family and friends enjoy cake stalls, a bouncy castle, face painting and raffles. Susan already has plans to make it an annual fundraiser to continue to “repay” the service for their help.
She said: “If it hadn’t been for GNAAS, my son would not be alive today. You can never ever thank them enough for that but this is just our way of giving something back, even though it will never match our gratitude.”
Paramedic Marcus Johnson said: “It was wonderful to see Daryl looking so much better, along with his father Alan and mother Susan who did a fantastic job on the day. It is highly unusual for someone of Daryl’s age to suffer a medically related cardiac arrest and he was one of the youngest cardiac patients which I have been to. Everyone worked as a team to help save his life and him being here today is testament to the work our crew does all year round.
“We want to say a huge thanks for today’s donation because without such funds, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”
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