Twins revive man dead for five minutes while working same London Ambulance Service shift

Twins who saved a man’s life while on shift with the London Ambulance Service said the moment felt “even more special” because they were working together. Angie and Steve Mills, 51, are not usually teamed up but Ms Mills, a 999 call handler, was shadowing a frontline crew in the same ambulance as Mr Mills, an emergency medical technician.
Angie and Steve Mills don't usually work together Credit: LAS

Twins who saved a man’s life while on shift with the London Ambulance Service said the moment felt “even more special” because they were working together.

Angie and Steve Mills, 51, are not usually teamed up but Ms Mills, a 999 call handler, was shadowing a frontline crew in the same ambulance as Mr Mills, an emergency medical technician.

The twins, from Bexleyheath, London, were called to an incident where a man had fallen but soon found themselves working to save his life when he went into cardiac arrest.

Their teamwork proved successful as Ms Mills – who had previously only instructed people to perform chest compressions over the phone – delivered lifesaving CPR while her brother and crewmate Paul focused on giving the patient oxygen.

Angie and Steve Mills as children Credit: LAS

“It feels even more special because I was doing it with Steve,” Ms Mills said.

“My CPR was so effective also because I felt so comfortable doing it next to my brother, and we are so close.

“Steve kept saying to me, ‘you’re doing a great job, the timing is perfect, the depth of the compressions is great’.”

The man was revived despite being dead for five minutes. Ms Mills said performing the CPR herself was new territory.

“I’ve instructed people who have called 999 many times before, but I had never needed to resuscitate someone myself,” she explained.

“I initially just got on with the CPR.

“It wasn’t until we were driving to hospital that I reflected on what I’d just done.”

It was a particularly poignant moment for the pair as they lost their father, Hugh, to cardiac arrest when he was 61 – a similar age to the man they had saved.

The father of Angie and Steve Mills died after suffering cardiac arrest Credit: LAS

“The man we saved was relatively young and because he was of similar age to our dad when he passed away, it brought back some powerful memories,” Ms Mills added.

“I thought about the fact that my dad didn’t get to enjoy retirement, he was still working when he passed.

“It made me think about how precious life is and how I should enjoy it more.

“Take every opportunity that you’ve got, don’t put things off!”

The late Mr Mills died 21 years ago before either of his children had joined the London Ambulance Service.

The younger Mr Mills said: “When I first started my job I always dreaded getting sent to a cardiac arrest.”

“I didn’t know how I would cope with that type of job because of the way my dad had died.

“Now, I am more confident as I know that I will try my absolute hardest to save that person.”

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