QUICK-THINKING MUM SAVES EX-AUSSIE CRICKETER’S LIFE AFTER CARDIAC ARREST
She gave CPR after collapse in playground
FORMER Australian cricketer Ryan Campbell has revealed a woman saved his life after he collapsed in a playground.
The 50-year-old was given just a seven per cent chance of survival after suffering a cardiac arrest in April.
But the odds of survival would have been even lower had mum Beci Bassett not given him CPR before he was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Ryan – who played two ODIS and three T20s for Australia and is now the national coach of the Netherlands – was in North Staffordshire visiting his wife’s family when he fell ill after taking his children to a play area.
After seven days at the Royal Stoke in an induced coma, he has now been discharged and is expected to make a full recovery. Tests have ruled out a heart attack as the cause of the cardiac arrest, and show no damage to the heart.
Speaking about his near-death experience, Ryan said: “We were at a playground with my two kids, and my daughter wanted to go on the slide, and I was up there and for some reason I was tired and decided to lie down. The lucky thing was I lay down on the foot of a young girl whose mother was the one who saved my life with CPR. She had just literally finished her course – just a surreal experience.
“I actually had lunch with her this week. What do you say to someone who just saved your life? It was a pretty cool experience.”
On leaving hospital, Ryan added: “I want to take this opportunity to thank the amazing doctors and nurses at the Royal Stoke University Hospital critical care unit for their incredible professionalism, kindness and compassion. I also want to thank Beci Bassett, a parent at the adventure playground in Cheshire who immediately administered CPR. Her courage and quick intervention quite simply saved my life.
“My wife Leontina was at my bedside hour after hour and kept our families informed of my progress. She dealt bravely with every development thrown her way.
“She was joined early on by my great mate Simon Millington, who flew out from Nevada to be there for her and her family and assisted them throughout the ordeal. For this I will be eternally grateful.
“Finally, I want to say a big thank you to all my well-wishers from around the world.”
Ryan isn’t allowed to fly for several months, so will catch the ferry to the Netherlands to resume coaching.
He added: “It’s seven days of my life that I’ll never remember. Thankfully I came back.
“Leontina said my odds were like seven per cent or something, which means I get a second crack at it and I’m going to make sure I live it to the most and have a lot of fun.”