Life-saving son given national charity award
A BRAVE schoolboy who helped save his dad’s life has received a prestigious charity award.
Henry Collett, from Hipperholme, has been honoured with an award from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) after coming to the aid of dad Jules.
The father and son were out on a run in March this year when Jules had a cardiac arrest. This meant his heart suddenly stopped pumping blood around his body, causing him to fall unconscious and stop breathing.
“We were about to set off from the top of the hill when my dad looked at me, said ‘I don’t feel so good’ and then fell,” recalled Henry, aged 13.
“I went over to him and he was breathing really weird – it sounded like he was taking too long to take another breath. I used my dad’s phone to call 999, told them where I was and they told me to start CPR.
“What went through my head was - what you do in the next 10 minutes could save him. I’m just a child and I need my dad to be around, so I knew I had to do something.”
Luckily, Henry had learned CPR at school and at Sea Cadets. He began applying chest compressions before getting the attention of a passer-by. They took over CPR while Henry rushed to the nearby rugby club to retrieve a defibrillator.
While heading to get the lifesaving device, an ambulance arrived, followed swiftly by a second and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, who had a doctor on board. Paramedics were able to take over CPR and use a defibrillator to shock Jules’ heart.
Jules, aged 56, added: “I was told that Henry acted very fast and was in control of the situation.”
Jules was taken to hospital by ambulance and placed in intensive care. He remained in an induced coma for six days, and regained consciousness two days later. “I was so happy when dad woke up,” said Henry.
While in hospital, Jules was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Now, several months after the cardiac arrest, Jules is back on his feet and has taken up walking, jogging and cycling with his son. He credits Henry for saving his life.
Jules said: “I’m alive because of Henry, and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here.”
Henry’s life-saving actions were recognised with a CPR Hero Award at the BHF’s virtual Heart Hero Awards.
“I’m alive because of Henry, and if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here” Jules Collett
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