‘Heroes’ save fan’s life after cardiac arrest before game

THOSE who sprung into action to save a Boro fan’s life after he collapsed prior to Nuneaton’s clash with rivals Bedworth have been dubbed “heroes”.

It was by chance that Boro youth team manager Lee Walkinshaw’s son spotted the man in trouble in the Liberty Way players lounge through a window.

His quick-thinking wife Lisa rushed to his side to give CPR while team physio Shaun Rice went to fetch a defibrillator.

And after three shocks, the man’s pulse returned.

Lee dubbed those who helped the man “heroes”, adding: “I am a massive believer in fate, my lad looked just at the right time to see that man, if he hadn’t I don’t like to think what would have happened.”

Lee said: “My lad spotted a man through the window of players lounge, he said ‘I think he has fallen off his chair.

“The missus went in quickly and realised he was not well.”

Lee, who started as Boro Youth Team manager in May last year, was unaware of the events.

“I was out warming up the lads before the game, I went into the changing room and I saw my physio Sean. He said that someone had collapsed in the players lounge and then said ‘give me five minutes ad I will be back.’

“He came back and said ‘I need the defibrillator.’ I went in and saw my missus was doing CPR and Shaun and another woman were helping.”

Both Lee, his wife and Shaun are all first aid trained, as was the other woman who rushed to help.

“They were working as a team, it was amazing, without a shadow of a doubt they were heroes,” Lee added.

It was on the third shock of the defibrillator that the man’s pulse returned.

“They stayed with him and then the paramedics arrived,” he added.

“But he left in an ambulance, in the best hands, after being helped by my missus, Shaun and that lady, you can’t ask for more than that.

“We just hope he makes a full recovery.”

Kick-off for the game had been delayed - then a decision had to be made whether it was going to be played or not.

“Obviously football is irrelevant in situations like this,” said Lee, who is also the manager of the Ambleside Under 9s team.

“To be fair to Bedworth they said ‘If you want to play, we can play, if you don’t, we won’t,’ they were great about it.”

It was decided that the game should go-ahead.

“I had a team talk with the lads, I told them to go out there and win it for him (the cardiac arrest victim),” said the dad-of-two.

“It really motivated the lads to go out and win it for him, it was great that that happened and against the local rivals.”

He went on: “It was an emotional night. Fair play to our lads, they were great, while it was all happening they took the mascots into the changing rooms and played football with the the kids, to keep them distracted from it all.

“Everyone worked together, credit to the staff at the Boro too, they were great.

“To see everyone come together like that, it was really emotional.”

“As for defibrillators, forget money, they are worth so much more than that because they do save lives, you can’t put a price on that,” he said.

Prior to the game he recieved a text to say that the Ambelside Junior Club has been granted funding to buy a defibrillator for Sandon Park.

“I messaged them later, told them what happened and said ‘See how important they are, you never know when you are going to need one.’

“I have always been a big believer in having a defibrillator, I think every organisation should have one. “They literally save lives.”

A West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) spokesman praised the trio for their actions and said it highlighted the importance of first aid training.

“West Midlands Ambulance Service would like to take the opportunity to praise the actions of the quick thinking bystanders who played a significant part in helping save a man’s life by starting CPR,” they said.

“Every second is vital when trying to save someone’s life and by starting to treat the man with the help of a defibrillator that was located at the store, the lady put all of her first aid training to perfect use.

“We would encourage anyone who can, to undertake first aid training, as one day it could be your turn to save a life.”