STEPHANIE SAVES KEVIN
A 72-YEAR- OLD MAN who suffered a heart attack last Friday when he was out walking close to his home was saved by a passing motorist.
Kevin O’Keeffe from Springfield, Arklow Rock, Arklow, was walking home from Kish when he collapsed on the side of the road. However, thanks to the intervention of passing motorist Stephanie Harris from Woodenbridge Kevin is still alive.
Kevin’s wife Maureen and daughter Bridin Higgins said that only for the CPR that Stephanie performed on Kevin, they would be attending his funeral.
Bridin said that Stephanie was driving home from the beach when she came across Kevin in a semi-conscious state in the middle of the road.
‘Stephanie had done CPR training in the past and immediately stopped and started doing chest compressions on dad. He was in a semi-conscious state at that time but actually stopped breathing in front of her at one stage. She continued doing the compressions and another woman came along and called the ambulance.
‘Stephanie continued giving dad the CPR until the medics arrived and he was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital for treatment.’
Bridin said that an angioplasty performed in the hospital showed Kevin has no blockages and, yesterday, he was fixed with an internal defibrillator.
‘ The doctors said that if dad had been home on his own he would be dead but because Stephanie was able to keep his heart going he’s still with us today.’
Kevin’s wife Maureen said it was vital to the family to find out who their mystery angel was.
‘Stephanie slipped off very quickly after the ambulance arrived and we had no idea who she was but it was important to us to find out who she was. We put a call out on social media on Friday evening and through friends of hers and a neighbour of ours, we were in contact with her on Saturday morning.
‘What Stephanie did for us as a family is amazing. We are now all going to get CPR training. It’s so vital, you never know when you could need it. Kevin was just so lucky that Stephanie came across him lying on the road, not only to be found but to be found by someone who was trained in CPR. She was so calm and collected and just started working on him straight away saving his life.’
Maureen said that Kevin is in great spirits in hospital and is recovering well, adding that they hope to meet up with Stephanie when he returns home to thank her fully for her swift actions.