Footballer who was saved by rival
They were two strangers in the right place at the right time
A local man’s life was saved through the quick-thinking actions of an opponent on the side of a football pitch. Scarborough Seadogs player, Ashley Buck ran to Jack’s Dingley’s rescue, performing CPR after he became unresponsive after an asthma attack.
Eastfield Athletic goalkeeper, Jack, said: “To me I fell asleep at the side of a football pitch and woke up 30 minutes later in hospital.”
Both players were participating in the first Eastfield Athletic Invitational – a tournament raising money for The Little Foot Trust.
Jack, said: “I was playing normally then I just felt weird I couldn’t breathe so I took my shirt and my gloves off and walked off the pitch.
“I was trying my inhaler but it just wasn’t working. Andy came over telling me to stay calm and take big breaths. I remember trying not to panic.”
Andy Thorpe, club founder and tournament organiser, had gone over to Jack asked him what was wrong, when he responded: “I cant breathe, I cant breathe.”
Andy, 45, said: “He was going grey and that was when I thought he needs an ambulance.
They talked me through everything while I was on the phone and he was just getting worse and worse. “He’d gone, he’d actually gone, his head was back, eyes wide open, not responding. Me and another referee were taking a pulse from each arm and we both looked at each other and
“He doesn’t realise how much it means. Ashley is a hero. He saved my life.”
said ‘no pulse’.” Whilst on the phone the emergency service operator instructed Andy to start CPR.
Andy added: “I just got up to start and Ash came over, he didn’t ask any questions. He started straight away. That lad saved his life.”
Ashley, an Army Reserve, said: “I just took over and did what needed to be done. I was doing CPR until the paramedics arrived and hooked him up to all the monitors.”
The heroic actions of this man also has another amazing twist. Ashley, 29, was called in on the morning as a late replacement to stand in for a friend for Scarborough Seadogs.
Andy said: “The irony of him being there. To me that’s someone telling Jack it isn’t his time yet.”
Jack, who has been diagnosed with asthma since he was two years old, said: “Everyone played their part that day.
“A huge thank you to Ashley Buck. I don’t know how this would have ended if you weren’t there.
“Thank you Andy Thorpe for calling the ambulance. Everyone’s quick actions hopefully prevented something that could have been a lot worse. Respect to you all.”
The 20-year-old, who works at car dealership Peugeot, was released from hospital on Friday July 27 and is recovering well.