Heart scare won’t stop May
Once Ricky May’s broken ribs have healed, he’s planning to get back in the sulky.
New Zealand’s leading harness racing driver is considered lucky to be alive after his heart stopped during a race in Central Otago this month.
May collapsed in the sulky and fell to the track when driving A G’s White Socks in the Central Otago Cup at Omakau on January 2. He was resuscitated on the track and flown by helicopter to Dunedin Hospital and placed in an induced coma.
May was later diagnosed with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy – a condition where the heart muscles thicken even though the heart itself is healthy. To help deal with the condition, May has had surgery to have a cardioverter defibrillator implanted in his chest.
The 61-year-old told the NZ TAB’s Box Seat programme that he’s recovering well and will return to the track.
‘‘I’m getting better every day. Still got plenty of aches and pains but that’s only natural for what I’ve been through, I think,’’ May said.
Part of those aches and pains are from the CPR performed on the track by fellow driver Ellie Barron, who May credits with saving his life.
‘‘Ellie Barron did what she did; broke a few of my ribs – the doctor at Dunedin Hospital said if she didn’t do that I wouldn’t be here.’’
‘‘[Fellow driver] Lawrence McCormick said I was still breathing when he got to me, but he said I was no good. I was struggling to breathe and when Ellie arrived I’d definitely conked it then, so . . . what Ellie did and then the ambulance arrived soon after, probably saved my life,’’ May told Box Seat.
He admitted the health scare would likely reduce his commitments both to harness racing and with his farm at
Methven in Mid Canterbury.
‘‘It probably will – it’s been a pretty big shock, to everyone really, so it’s probably time to start slowing down a bit.’’
But with his career tally of race wins at 2949 – including seven New Zealand Trotting Cup victories – there’s still enough motivation to get May back in action.
‘‘Evidently after I got explained everything I said that’ll be it, I wouldn’t go back again, but after a few days lying in hospital, I just thought to myself I couldn’t go out on that note, I’ll have to have another go – if the trainers want me to drive their horses.
‘‘I couldn’t see why I shouldn’t.’’