Hero took a bullet for me, I owe him my life

A HERO British holidaymaker used his body to shield his fiancee when the gunman opened fire.

Gas engineer Matthew James, 30, was shot in the shoulder, chest and hip. He survived after emergency surgery saved his life.

Sarah Wilson, 26, said: “He took a bullet for me. I owe him my life.”

The couple, from Pontypridd, South Wales, had left their two children Tegan, six, and Kaden, 14 months, at home and were on a two- week break expecting a relaxing day on the beach.

Sarah said: “Matthew put himself in front of me, then he was hit, he moved and the man shot him again. Again he tried to move and he was shot again.

“He was shouting and blood was pouring out all over. I was screaming and it was chaos as more shots were coming out.

“He told me: ‘ I love you babe. But just go – tell our children that their daddy loves them'.

“It was the bravest thing I've ever known. But I just had to leave him because the shooting just kept on coming. I ran back past bodies on the beach to reach our hotel. It was chaos – there was a body in the hotel pool and it was just full of blood.

“I hid in a towel cupboard to make sure I was safe. Eventually it became quieter and I came out.

“I was desperate to find out what had happened to Matthew. I didn't know if he was dead or alive. I was even looking under white sheets to see if it was his body.”

Eventually Matthew was able to call her on the phone having already had an operation to save his life.

Speaking from the hospital where Matthew is being treated, beautician Sarah said: “I'm just staying here on a chair now.

“His pelvis was shattered by the bullet and he also had a heart attack. But he is alive. I'm just praying we can get out of here as soon as we can.”

She added: “We just want to get home. I know just how lucky we are to be alive because I can see all the bodies of the people who are not.”