‘If it wasn’t for defib, I wouldn’t be here’
Biker’s gratitude for life-saving equipment
A motorcyclist whose life was saved by a portable defibrillator in Thornhill has praised an initiative to install the life–saving equipment at key Stirling Council buildings.
Edinburgh man Alex Wilson suffered a cardiac arrest in the village two years ago while on a weekend outing with the Scottish branch of Moto Guzzi Club GB.
The 70 year old was with his wife Maureen and fellow members of the bike club when he collapsed suddenly and stopped breathing at an event in Thornhill Community Hall.
Two club members, who were also nurses, administered CPR on Alex while others alerted villager Michelle Fordyce to the emergency.
After collecting the portable defibrillator from its cabinet in the Main Street, she came to Alex’s aid and used the device to get him breathing again before an ambulance arrived.
Alex said: “If it wasn’t for one of these defibrillators, I wouldn’t be here today, so I’m delighted that the council has installed these devices on their buildings.
“I had my first heart attack in 2004 when I was climbing Glenshee. That was very painful and I showed symptoms but for this one there was no warning whatsoever.
“My eyes went funny and the last thing I remember is falling behind my chair. It was just like someone switching off a light.
“It just went dark and the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.”
Six defibrillators have been placed externally on council buildings - one each at Old Viewforth, Tolbooth Theatre, Raploch Campus, Lower Polmaise, Municipal Buildings and Teith House.
“I was lucky that two people who did CPR on me were trained nurses, but the importance of these life–saving devices can’t be stated enough, especially in remote areas like Thornhill.
“Hopefully more local authorities follow suit,” Mr Wilson added.
“I would like to see this rolled out across the country and have them placed in as many places as possible.
“They are needed in any public place where you have people congregating as they are a safeguard. Knowing that they are there puts your mind at ease as, from my own experience, a defibrillator being near at hand is a life–saver.”
Mr Wilson has now fully recovered and is back riding his beloved motorbike and enjoying pursuing his other interests which include walking.
The retired gardener and his wife Elaine travelled on their bikes to Stirling Council’s headquarters at Old Viewforth to lend their backing to the initiative.
Mrs Wilson said: “While we had heard of defibrillators, we had no reason to know what they were about. The fact the defibrillator was in the village that day saved his life.
“When he was taken to hospital the staff told me in no uncertain terms that the defibrillator had saved him.
“We had two trained off–duty nurses giving him CPR but because we were in such a remote place, the time it took for the Ambulance to come, they couldn’t have continued to do CPR for that length and period.
“To know that other people’s lives will be saved by Stirling Council having these defibrillators is wonderful. It’s hard to put into words what it means. The fact that Alex is standing here is testament to their importance.”