Tony Comber, 59, was on an evening jog with his running club when his heart stopped suddenly.
His friends heard a bang as his head hit the pavement and raced over to save his life.
Tony said: “I was talking to someone and all of a sudden just collapsed. I hit my head on the kerb and fractured my skull. I’d had a cardiac arrest.”
Engineer Tony, of Maxey, Cambridgeshire, was a keen runner and in good health.
He even completed the London marathon a few months earlier.
But he had suffered from heart disease for 14 years and survived a previous heart attack.
READ MORE: Madonna breaks cover and details tour reschedule after ICU health scare
Don’t miss…
Jeremy Clarkson warned he’ll suffer ‘agonising death’ if he doesn’t quit habit[LATEST]
Sudden weight gain could indicate something wrong with your health[LATEST]
‘Lesser-known’ sign of silent killer could strike in your ears, warns expert[LATEST]
The problem was likely inherited – his father and grandfather both died of heart attacks. Luckily, several medics were among the runners that night in February 2022 including a firefighter, a retired rheumatologist and an orthopaedic surgeon who was in his hospital’s crash team.
They led CPR efforts while three runners were dispatched to retrieve defibrillators from a nearby college, swimming pool and recreation ground.
Tony said: “They were back in three minutes and a defibrillator was applied to me. Fortunately, I came back and my heart started beating after the first shock.”
He woke up three days later in hospital, where he had a stent fitted in an artery that had become blocked.
Now he is back to good health and recently ran the Cambridge half marathon. Tony shared his harrowing story in support of our Complete The Circuit crusade, backed by the British Heart Foundation.
The campaign is asking the public to help get more defibrillators registered on The Circuit, which is the UK’s national network used to direct 999 callers to the nearest device.
Tony, his wife Fiona and daughters Alice, 18, and Emily 14, have all since completed CPR training.
He added: “I’ve enjoyed Christmases and holidays that I might not have had with my family. It’s really important to get this message out there.
Lucky “Two things saved my life that day – someone performed CPR straight away and that defibrillator got to me so quickly.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
“My wife was told there was a less than a one in 10 chance of survival. I know how lucky I am.”
Resuscitation Council UK has also backed our campaign to register more vital defibrillators.
Charity president Professor Andrew Lockey said: “Early CPR and defibrillation can more than double survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
“If you have concerns that you don’t know how to use a defibrillator, you shouldn’t, as anyone can use one.They tell you exactly what to do.”
You can check if a defibrillator is registered on The Circuit at defibfinder.uk. If not, the defibrillator’s guardian can register it at The Circuit
Source: Read Full Article
