Man reunites with North West Ambulance staff who saved his life after suffering cardiac arrest

  • Granada Reports Correspondent Andy Bonner was there to see Ray reunite with those who saved his life

A man has reunited with the medical staff who saved his life after he suddenly collapsed while out walking.

Ray Hughes, 78, was with friends in Rainhill Stoops, near the M62 in Merseyside, when he went into cardiac arrest in September 2023.

Luckily, one of the former Merseyside Police officer's friends, Greg Wood, is a North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) volunteer and recognised the signs.

He began CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, on Ray while the rest of the group phoned 999.

Ray Stephens with his friends. Credit: Raay Stephens

Greg said: "You're looking at one of your best mates and you're just hoping and praying that he'll get over it.

"But the longer that time goes on and nothing happens, the more worried you start to get."

He added: "It's time critical and if you don't start those chest compressions, then for every minute that goes by, your chances of recovery drop by 10%."

Ray Hughes had been walking with some friends near the M62 motorway at Rainhill Stoops in September when he suffered a cardiac arrest. Credit: ITV Granada Reports

Ray said it felt like "someone turned a dimmer switch" and he did not remember much after.

"It was completely out of the blue. I just started to feel fuzzy and my legs felt heavy but there were not symptoms of a heart attack," he said.

"It was like someone turned a dimmer switch and I didn't know anything after that."

Ray speaking with the North West Ambulance Service staff who saved his life. Credit: ITV Granada

Medical crews were able to return Ray's heart rhythm and rushed him to Broadgreen Hospital for further treatment a short time later.

He has now had a triple bypass operation and is on the road to recovery.

Ray broke down in tears as he reunited with the NWAS staff who saved him: "I didn't see you at the time but my friends told me what you were like."

Paula Rimmer, the NWAS paramedic who was first on the scene, said that Ray "had some great friends with him, who knew what to do on the day, they knew how to raise the help nice and early, they knew to start CPR."

"The friends, without being asked, helped to carry all of the kit and they helped me across the fence so all that meant that I could be at Ray's side a lot more quickly."

Ray Hughes thanking North West Ambulance medical staff including, apprentice Lauren O'Neill. Credit: ITV Granada Reports

Lauren O'Neill is an NWAS Apprentice Medical Technician who also attended the scene.

She said: "It's lovely to actually have a conversation with him and find out how he is doing and how his recovery has been. It reminds you why you do the job and how it can really affect people's lives."

Ray said: "I had never seen any of them before. I missed a terrific day out. I thanked them very much and it is very difficult to know what to say other than 'thank you very much' and hug them."

"I was lucky to have a bunch of fellas like them around me, I mean, really really lucky."

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