In the bustling seaside city of Brighton, a heart-warming tale of survival, gratitude, and community spirit unfolded earlier this year. David Payne, a 56-year-old local father and football enthusiast, found himself at the centre of this remarkable story.
One chilly January evening, while playing football at his local club, David began to feel unwell. Unbeknownst to him, he was in the throes of a heart attack. He stepped off the pitch to rest, and his next memory was waking up in the Royal Sussex County Hospital four days later.
In a twist of fate, David had collapsed on a nearby road where Umar Issacs, a local gas engineer and gym owner, found him. With his mobile out of charge, Umar flagged down a passing food delivery driver to call 999. Simultaneously, off-duty Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Caroline Batchelor had taken a wrong turn and found herself at the scene. She immediately started performing CPR on David until the ambulance crew arrived.
Recently, David and his wife Ally had the opportunity to meet the South East Coast Ambulance Service’s (SECAmb) team who were instrumental in saving his life that fateful night. The reunion was filled with gratitude and shared insights into the incident, providing David and Ally with a deeper understanding of the events that unfolded.
“The crew have really changed the course of our lives,” Ally shared, reflecting on the impact of the incident on their family.
David’s story is a testament to the power of community and the importance of life-saving skills like CPR. He is now on a mission to raise awareness about these skills, inspired by the heroes who saved his life.
“In my 16 years of being a paramedic, this is the first time I’ve met a survivor and it’s extremely rewarding,” shared Ben Spashett, a Critical Care Paramedic who attended to David.
David’s story is not just a tale of survival, but also a call to action for all of us to learn basic life-saving skills. It’s a reminder that heroes walk among us, and sometimes, they’re just around the corner.
Image credit: Sussex World
