Patient reunites with volunteer responder who saved his life on New Year's Eve

Howard Tracey, known as Ted, had just returned to the Cambridge Rowing Association clubhouse after an outing with five other rowers on the River Cam on 31 December, when he collapsed and went into cardiac arrest.

Gary O'Shea, a volunteer community first responder (CFR) for the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST), was off-duty and out on the river also rowing, when he saw that Ted needed help.

He immediately went over to Ted to begin CPR while the cox, Roz Fitzgerald, provided rescue breaths. As Gary was off-duty, he did not have his medical kit bag with him.

The first ambulance crew arrived approximately six minutes after the 999 call, followed by two more ambulances. The East Anglian Air Ambulance also attended.

Gary and the medics were able to successfully restart Ted's heart after 33 minutes of CPR, and he was transported to Royal Papworth Hospital, where he was put into an induced coma and kept on life support for more than a week. Having initially been given a less than 10% chance of survival, Ted had a pacemaker fitted and is now recovering at home.

Ted said: "I cannot remember anything, until about the second or third week in January – nor any thing before it on that fateful day.

"Everything that happened has gradually been put together by those who responded, including Gary and Roz. I want to thank everyone involved – they saved my life! No one ever gave up on me, and I was rushed to the world-class care of Papworth Hospital and the NHS. I am forever grateful to still be here today with my family and friends."

Gary said: "I was out rowing on New Year's Eve in Cambridge, and didn't expect to come across a patient in cardiac arrest. But when I saw Ted collapsed on the ground I knew I had to do something to help.

"I was off-duty at the time so I didn't have my kit bag with me, but I immediately began CPR while an ambulance was called for. We were able to restart Ted's heart, and I'm so pleased that he is now at home with his partner Rosanne, continuing his recovery."

Following the incident, Gary has been back to Cantabrigian Rowing Club this month to deliver CPR training to members of the club. February is 'Heart Month', a campaign by the British Heart Foundation to increase the awareness and learning of CPR.

Gary added: "You never know when you might need to deliver CPR and give someone a chance to stay alive, so I would encourage everyone to learn this life-saving skill."