The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Aberdeen staff saved my life, says Gallacher
Former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher has paid tribute to the Aberdeen medical staff who restarted his heart three times as they tried to save him from a cardiac arrest last month.
Gallacher was discharged from hospital on Friday more than two weeks after collapsing as he was about to give an afterdinner speech at Aberdeen’s Marcliffe Hotel on August 29.
Doctors have implanted a defibrillator in his chest which will restart his heart if it happens again.
The 64-year-old has been told he cannot drive for six months and should not play golf for four as he continues his recovery.
Gallacher said: “Golf is off the menu for a while but considering I was dead a few weeks ago, it’s amazing to know I’ll get back to a normal life soon. Anyway, it’s not too big a hardship. Winter is coming.
“I had no pain, no warning of what was coming. People said I suddenly collapsed. They said it looked like I’d been floored by a boxer.
“Three nurses gave me immediate help. The Marcliffe Hotel had a defibrillator on site which was incredibly lucky. If it hadn’t been there I wouldn’t be here.”
Gallacher, uncle of Press and Journal columnist Stephen Gallacher, was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where medics lowered his body temperature to save his brain from injury and the golfer was quick to pay tribute to staff at ARI.
He said: “If you’re going to have a heart attack anywhere, have it in Aberdeen.
“Family, friends and even total strangers kept us going with their good wishes. My family in Scotland were a great help.
“People called the hospital and left messages of support. We also got sent cards and flowers.”
He also received support from a host of friends in- cluding golfers Sam Torrance, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald.
The family also got daily calls from Strictly Come Dancing host Bruce Forsyth and from golfer and Strictly contestant and fellow former Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin.
Gallacher said: “A friend let us use their private plane to fly home to London when I was discharged. Someone handed me a phone on the plane and it was Tony calling to see how I was. He was rehearsing his dancing at the time. It was really emotional.”