Wife who performed life-saving CPR on her husband thanks ambulance staff who gave them eight more months together

When Lorraine, a cardiac nurse, dialled 999 in April 2025, she knew her husband, Paul, needed help – and fast.

It started out as an ordinary evening at home. Paul had gone upstairs as usual to read in bed, while Lorraine stayed downstairs watching television. But within seconds, their world was turned upside down. Lorraine heard floorboards creaking upstairs as Paul got out of bed, and then a loud groaning sound. She immediately knew something was very wrong.

Lorraine explains: “I rushed upstairs and found Paul collapsed on the landing. He wasn’t breathing and I couldn’t feel his pulse. I’d taken my mobile phone upstairs with me – I dialled 999 and immediately started doing CPR on Paul.”

The 999 call

Lorraine’s 999 call was answered by Emergency Medical Advisor Sim Rana. Within seconds, Sim established that Paul was in cardiac arrest and arranged for an immediate ambulance response. Sim stayed on the phone with Lorraine, supporting her to continue chest compressions on Paul while ambulance staff were dispatched to the scene.

By starting CPR in those critical minutes before ambulance staff arrived, Lorraine gave Paul the best possible chance of survival.

Reflecting on this moment, Lorraine shared:

“I’ve been a nurse for over thirty years, but I’d never had to do CPR outside of training. Doing it for the first time on someone you love is the hardest thing. But in that moment, you don’t think, you just act. I remember Sim was there on the phone the whole time, helping me keep a good rhythm and keeping me calm.”

Sim remembers taking the call. “Lorraine was incredible. By calling 999, starting compressions, and staying calm, she did everything she needed to. I could tell from her voice and breathing that she was doing excellent compressions – she was working so hard and I was proud of her. I honestly thought she was amazing.”

A race against time

As soon as Sim had established that Paul was unconscious and not breathing, the team in the Emergency Operations Centre began allocating ambulance staff to attend. Dispatchers identified the closest colleagues to the scene who could provide the care that Paul needed. The Critical Care Desk and HEMS desk prepared to dispatch a helicopter if required.

Seconds later, ambulances were travelling to the scene on blue lights. Paramedic Joanna Haynes and Divisional Senior Clinical Leader Dave Barton were first to arrive, within minutes of Lorraine calling 999. They were followed, moments later, by ambulance crew, Paramedic David King and Technician Rajvinder Kaur, and Specialist Paramedic Adrian Utting.

Adrian recalls the scene: “Lorraine and Paul were on the small upstairs landing. Lorraine had been doing chest compressions on Paul up until the moment we arrived and there is no doubt in my mind that the quality of her compressions put us in the best position to resuscitate him. We took over from Lorraine and got to work trying to save Paul.”

Lorraine reflects on this moment: “Once the ambulance arrived, I knew Paul was in the best hands. They took over chest compressions and I just stood back and watched them work. I felt like I was floating outside of my body. I was in complete shock. But they were so calm and in control and knew exactly what to do. Watching them was incredible – it gave me real confidence in that moment. I’ll always remember that feeling of relief and amazement as I watched them work.”

Joanna, Dave, David and Rajvinder worked together to restart Paul’s heart – and they were successful.

When they were confident Paul was stable, he was taken to the ambulance and conveyed by David and Rajvinder to Glenfield Hospital in Leicester. There Paul spent several days in a coma in intensive care.

At first, the outlook was devastating. Because the cardiac arrest had caused Paul’s heart to stop pumping blood around his body, doctors did not know the full extent of the impact on Paul’s brain. They warned Lorraine that his condition was critical and that he might not wake up.

After days of uncertainty came a moment that Lorraine will never forget.

“The doctors had just given us the worst imaginable news – that Paul might never wake up again. We arrived at the hospital one morning expecting the worst, and there he was — sitting up in bed and smiling, and he said to me ‘I’m alright, kid.’ It honestly felt like a miracle. After everything we’d been told, I never expected to see him sitting up and talking again.”

Eight months that meant everything

Paul’s recovery was long and challenging. But against the odds, he came home to Lorraine and their family – their two children, Michelle and Carl, and their three young grandchildren, Lucas (aged 10) and Emelia (aged 7), and River (aged 8).

Thanks to the rapid response of EMAS crews and Lorraine’s immediate CPR, Paul had been given a second chance. He went on to spend another eight happy months with his family.

Lorraine reflects on this time: “Those eight months meant everything to us. It was time we never thought we’d have — time to talk, to be together, to make more beautiful memories with our children and grandchildren. That’s something we’ll always be thankful for.”

Sadly, Paul passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in his sleep several months after leaving hospital. But for Lorraine and her family, those additional months together at home meant everything.