In a heartwarming reunion, Sonya Harris, a mother from Wiltshire, met with Craig Lively, a paramedic, who was part of the team that saved her life after her heart stopped for 38 minutes following a sudden cardiac arrest. The incident occurred while she was collecting her son from school, and it was through the swift actions of her husband, friends, and the ambulance crews that she was resuscitated.
Harris spent several days in a coma in the intensive therapy unit at Bristol Royal Infirmary before being transferred to the Bristol Heart Institute for further treatment. The reunion with Lively, who played a crucial role in her care, was an emotional and touching moment for both of them, acknowledging the life-saving impact of their work.
Expressing her gratitude, Harris thanked Lively, his team, and all the individuals who attended to her in her time of need. She also shared her involvement in a cardiac arrest survivors’ charity, highlighting the importance of public access to defibrillators and community CPR training.
READ MORE: How to watch Sale Sharks v Bath Rugby live on TV and full team news
READ MORE: The Contrasting Views of Wells: A Picturesque Tourist Attraction and a Yearning Youth
Louise Cox, a specialist paramedic at the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT), commended Harris’s determination to ensure access to community CPR training and defibrillators, emphasizing their role in the chain of survival.
Harris’s experience serves as a reminder of the critical significance of bystander CPR and the availability of defibrillators in improving survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, underscoring the impact of public awareness and preparedness.