Published: Thursday, 1st November, 2007 09:30
Caring passers-by 'save heart attack man's life'
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A DRAMATIC lifesaving attempt brought a busy Tranent road to a standstill last Friday as passers-by and police officers battled to revive a man who had collapsed on the street.
John Price, 39, of Northfield, Tranent, complained of chest pains to his wife earlier that day and was walking with his son, who is thought to be aged about 13, to the local health centre at around 3pm when he dropped to the ground with a suspected heart attack and stopped breathing.
Two courageous members of the public rushed to his aid as the father-of-six lay blue and lifeless on the Ormiston Road pavement.
One of the first to arrive was former midwife-turned-driving instructor, Yvonne Borthwick, who was driving home from the vets with her dog, Sydney.
“At first I thought he might be just drunk on Friday afternoon because that’s not that uncommon,” said the 28-year-old.
“But after a few metres my conscience got the better of me and I pulled a u-turn and drove back to see what condition he was in.
“When I got to him I could see he was in an extremely bad way, he was a dark blue colour and we could not find a pulse.”
Across the road, car salesman David Young had been washing cars in the forecourt of Thomson and Reilly garage when he saw the commotion and telephoned for an ambulance.
Then, without a second’s thought, he joined Yvonne in the fight to save the stricken man’s life.
The 43-year-old of Carlaverock Court, said: “We started trying to get him breathing again. But he died two or three times in my hands right there on the street.”
Police Constables Murray Cairns and James McLeod arrived within minutes and took over the CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). They were quickly joined by Inspector Colin Brown.
When the ambulance arrived 15 minutes later, Mr Price was still gravely ill and paramedics had to use a defibrillator to jolt his heart back to life. He was then taken to ERI’s intensive care unit under police escort.
Despite traffic chaos caused by the ambulance clogging the busy road, Mr Young said an “eerie silence” pervaded throughout the street.
After speaking to Mr Price’s wife two days later, David Young explained that the 39-year-old man – who remains in a stable condition in hospital – had been told earlier that day he was to be a father for a seventh time prior to his chest pains developing.
He also praised the heroic efforts of fellow would-be lifesaver and Carlaverock Crescent resident, Yvonne Borthwick.
“She never gave up,” he said. “She was determined to get him back. She fought and fought to save him.
“At the end of the day, I think she saved his life.”
Yvonne, although modest about her involvement in the ordeal, told the Courier that her thoughts had always been always with Mr Price’s family.
“All that kept running through my mind was ‘his young son cannot watch him die’,” shew said.
“He had to make it for his son.”
Insp. Brown, who also performed CPR on the man, said: “I am delighted with the community spirit shown by these two individuals who treated the man at a very critical stage.
“I have no doubt whatsoever that they have helped to save this man’s life.”
All those involved have been nominated for a meritorious award for their actions last Friday.
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