Wife Had Skills to Save Husband’s Life

Carl Hardy’s cardiac arrest happened with no warning.

One minute the 53-year-old was getting ready for a family barbecue, the next he had collapsed on the bathroom floor at his home in Stockton Lane, York, on 26 August 2019.

But thankfully wife Kate knew exactly what to do.

“I heard a bang upstairs and went to see what had happened and found Carl collapsed on the floor,” remembered Kate, 46.

“I knew immediately that he needed an ambulance so I rang 999 and started CPR which I did until the ambulance arrived and he was in the safe hands of the wonderful paramedics.”

York Paramedics Simon Lascelles, Craig Barley and Joanne Cammidge, Emergency Care Assistants Leigh Saddington and Alex Rook and Community First Responder Andrew Cooper attended the incident.

Simon said: “All credit to Kate who did a great job by starting CPR before our arrival which gave her husband the best possible chance of survival because it ensured that blood kept pumping around his body so we could continue with the life-saving efforts.”

After being successfully resuscitated, the dad-of-two was taken to York Hospital where he was in an induced coma in intensive care for a week. Then he had surgery to have an internal defibrillator and pacemaker fitted and has made a full recovery.

Kate, a support worker at Hempland Primary School in York, said: “I have always been first aid at work trained but I have never had to deal with anything like this. It’s unbelievable how life can change. One minute we were preparing for a barbecue and the next I was doing CPR. I am just so thankful I had the training and knew what to do.”

Kate and Carl will be speaking about their experience to students learning CPR at Archbishop Holgate’s School in York on Restart a Heart Day on 16 October. The school will host a Healthy Heart Week from 14 October during which 1,000 students will learn the life-saving skill and receive information about how to keep their hearts healthy.

Carl, who is a Senior Business Analyst for Nestle Europe, said: “There is no doubt the outcome would have been different if Kate had not had CPR training in the past. Kate’s quick thinking and actions significantly contributed to me being alive today. I fully believe that without Kate’s action I would either be dead or in a physically and/or mentally impaired state. Instead I have made a full recovery with zero physical or mental limitations and I plan to return to work in November to my existing role.

“As a first aider at work myself in the past, I too learned CPR. This learning stays with you for life and really can mean the difference between life and death. Therefore I cannot stress enough how important it is to have at least a basic understanding of CPR. If you have an opportunity to learn, then please do, as you might just save a life!”