Saved by a mystery Samaritan
LUCKY to be alive Tyler Sansom is only here today because of the quick actions of a stranger, his dad said.
And now grateful Phil Sansom has managed to track down the modest good samaritan, who he didn’t even get the chance to thank for saving his toddler son.
Phil was returning home from a shopping trip at Gateshead Metro station when Tyler started choking on his lollipop.
The frantic father banged on his son’s back but was powerless to help his son.
But a stranger on the platform came to the rescue by taking over and hitting Tyler’s back hard enough to dislodge the sweet.
In the aftermath Phil didn’t have a chance to thank the mystery man who he is convinced saved his son’s life.
He said: “Tyler was having a lolly as normal and all of a sudden he started struggling for breath. I asked him if he was okay and he said he was. I thought nothing of it, but a few minutes later he started coughing and choking.
“Tyler started losing colour and I pulled him out of his pram. No matter how many times I banged on his back I could not get it out of him.
“But then this bloke grabbed him from my arms and started whacking his back. It was over in seconds but it felt like hours, it felt like everyone was standing and watching.
“He got on the Metro and I didn’t even get to say thank you. All I could do was clasp my hands together and shout thank you with tears streaming down my face.”
Tyler, who turns two in May, vomited on the platform but has showed no lasting damage.
Phil calmed him down and took to social media determined to track down the mystery saviour when he returned home.
Phil, 40, said: “I do not know what I was thinking at the time as I just wanted to help Tyler, I didn’t think about the worst until I got home.
“I think this man saved Tyler’s life, and I posted on Facebook because somebody did an amazing thing for my son and I wanted to thank him.”
Within hours of posting his story, Phil’s status had been shared thousands of times and he was put in contact with his son’s saviour Alan Jenkinson and his wife Carole.
The grateful dad messaged the couple, and took lucky tot Tyler to meet them both the next morning at The Bridges shopping centre, in Sunderland.
Phil added: “Alan said it’s okay, it’s okay, forget about it but I can’t – I’m so grateful.
“There were people around who sat and watched. He was the only person who acted and saved my son’s life.
“They are a really nice, down to earth couple and we just talked about what happened, our lives and Tyler.”
Phil shared pictures of Tyler with Alan on Facebook to the delight of hundreds of users, and insists they will remain in contact with one another going forward.
The dad also says cheeky chap Tyler has not been fazed by the incident and was asking for another lollipop only minutes later.
Phil added: “Tyler is never getting a lolly again!
“This has been a whirlwind experience and out of something horrible, it has brought a few people together.
“Having someone who saved my son’s life now be close to us is a bonus.”