A Welsh man, Geoff Roberts, expressed his profound gratitude towards his daughter and son-in-law for saving his life after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. The incident took place in Prestatyn when Geoff, a 57-year-old gardener, unexpectedly collapsed unconscious. Fortunately, his daughter Nia and her partner Dan were present at the scene and sprang into action to administer life-saving measures.
Geoff described how he was enjoying a summer evening with his family in the garden when he suddenly collapsed. Nia noticed her father making a strange sound before collapsing to the floor in cardiac arrest. Dan quickly assessed the situation and started CPR while Nia called emergency services. The 999 call handler guided them on what to do and instructed them on the location of the nearest defibrillator at Prestatyn Fire Station.
As Nia rushed to retrieve the defibrillator, Dan continued CPR for 17 minutes with assistance from Geoff’s wife Liane and a neighbour, Cerri. Nia, who was pregnant at the time, recalled how she couldn’t shake the thought that her father might not live to see her baby. However, after one shock from the defibrillator, Geoff began to breathe again and regained consciousness.
Geoff was then swiftly taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital where he spent several weeks under medical care before making a remarkable recovery. Reflecting on the incident, Geoff emotionally shared how he has since been able to return to work as a gardener and witness significant milestones in his family, including the birth of his two grandchildren and his daughter’s engagement.
Dr Len Nokes, from Save a Life Cymru, commended the swift actions of the Roberts family for their life-saving response. With around 6,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring in Wales annually, initiatives like Save a Life Cymru aim to improve survival rates by promoting CPR and defibrillation within communities. Dr Nokes stressed the importance of learning or refreshing CPR and defibrillator skills to potentially save lives in emergency situations.
Geoff expressed his immense gratitude towards Nia and Dan, acknowledging that he owes his life to their quick thinking and actions. He emphasised the significance of their intervention, allowing him to continue living an active and fulfilling life post his cardiac arrest. As the Roberts family’s story serves as a powerful example of the impact of immediate response during emergencies, Dr Nokes urged others to equip themselves with these life-saving skills through training and awareness programs like Save a Life Cymru.