Villager in dash to save Alex’s life
Biker collapsed at rally in Thornhill hall
A man who went into cardiac arrest while on a bike rally in Stirlingshire owes his life to a portable defibrillator which shocked his heart back into action.
Alex Wilson collapsed and stopped breathing at the community hall in Thornhill while on a weekend trip with the Scottish branch of the Moto Guzzi Club GB.
A quick-thinking villager got the machine from a cabinet on the main street and it was used to administer two shocks which got the 67-year-old breathing again.
He was rushed to Forth Valley Royal Hospital, where staff have since told him he would not have survived without the aid of the vital equipment maintained by Trossachs Search and Rescue.
His wife Elaine told the Observer: “It’s really hit home how important these machines are. There should be one in every town and village.”
Alex, a retired gardener, felt unwell last Friday night after arriving for the annual motorcycle rally. Fellow bikers desperately administered CPR. But after local playgroup manager Michelle Fordyce brought the portable defibrillator to the hall, they were able to get Alex breathing again until an ambulance arrived.
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A lifesaving machine was used to resuscitate a motorcyclist who collapsed and stopped breathing at a rally in Thornhill.
The portable defibrillator – installed in September – shocked Alex Wilson back to life after he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Fellow bikers desperately administered CPR on the retired gardener last Friday night. But after a quickthinking villager brought the machine to the community hall, two blasts on his chest got the 67-year-old breathing again. He is recovering in Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Mr Wilson, from Lasswade, near Edinburgh, was on a weekend break with wife Elaine as a member of the Scottish branch of the Moto Guzzi Club GB. He lost consciousness in the Thornhill Community Hall on the first night of the rally.
Elaine, 52, explained: “We were in the hall and someone asked Alex to get his mandolin to give us a few tunes. He walked back to the campsite where we were staying to get it, and returned to the hall. But as he was sitting down, I saw him grimace, and he complained of feeling dizzy.
“His face altered so drastically I thought he was having a stroke. So I shouted to some friends who put Alex into the recovery position. Then I heard someone say ‘I can’t find a pulse’. Everything happened so fast but I was terrified I’d lost him for good.”
Two club members who are nurses - Andrew Bethell and Maureen Youngson - began giving CPR while another ran to the home of local woman Michelle Fordyce, who retrieved the portable defibrillator.
Mrs Fordyce, 38, who manages the playgroup at the community hall, said: “I think the machine we have was gifted to Thornhill about six months ago. It sits outside Dykes Agricultural Engineers on the Main Street.
“I brought it into the hall to find one person doing chest compressions while the other gave the kiss of life.
“The defib machine gave exact instructions of what to do - so it talked us through the process of shocking Alex twice. The machine even monitors the patient’s condition and tells you whether another shock is required. After two shocks he was breathing and CPR was continued until an ambulance arrived.
“He’d collapsed around 7.30pm and by 11pm word was sent from the hospital that he was responsive and moving around.”
Moto Guzzi Club member Ian Mackay said: “I’d just like to pass on my thanks to everyone who was there, and made sure the outcome was a positive one.”
Alex will be transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to be kept under observation. A keen hillwalker, he suffered a heart attack 12 years ago.
Elaine added: “The hospital staff have told us if it wasn’t for the defib machine, Alex probably wouldn’t be with us today. It’s really hit home how important these machines are. There should be one in every town and village.”
Stuart Ballantyne, chairman of Trossachs Search and Rescue, said: “Equipment like this costs around £1200 and we have 75 of them around the area.
“The money for this defibrillator came from Thornhill and Blair Drummond Community Council, as part of a bequest left by a former district nurse Peggy Moore.” The Scottish branch of the Moto Guzzi GB club is now planning to make a generous donation to Trossachs SAR.
Trossachs SAR has launched a defibrillator locator app which can be downloaded from www. trossachsdefibrillator. co.uk
Hospital staff have said if it wasn’t for the defib machine Alex probably wouldn’t be here Wife Elaine