Thank you to the unsung heroes who save lives

Emotions must have been running extremely high when Susan Sheppard came face to face with a team of paramedics who saved her life. But what a brilliant moment for her when she was able to say a sincere thank you to them for giving her the greatest gift of all.

The 62-year-old had collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest while out shopping in Portsmouth with her four-year-old grandson.

She had stopped breathing and had no pulse. Susan was showing no signs of life. Things looked very bleak indeed.

But paramedics Justin Hurst, Celine McHague and Natalie Andrews were soon on the scene and calmly used their training to restart her heart using a defibrillator.

Susan was then rushed to Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham for further treatment. Almost two months on and she has made a good recovery and is back walking her dogs and enjoying watching her grandson grow up.

Imagine how overjoyed she must have been to get the chance to give a big hug to those who cared for her and brought her back from the brink.

How rewarding too for the paramedics to get a thank-you for their efforts and to see in person how their rapid response and expert treatment had enabled Susan to survive.

Called out to deal with a variety of medical emergencies, they rarely get to see the outcome. They are left to wonder what happens to those in their care and it must have been nice for them to see Susan looking well and appreciating all they did for her.

Susan says simply: ‘I can’t thank them enough. Without their actions I wouldn’t be here. The paramedics do such an amazing job and I don’t think they are appreciated enough.’

A story with a happy ending and a tribute to the unsung heroes who are always there when we need them.