David S's Story

David, 66, was enjoying a long-awaited holiday at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire with his wife and friends when his relaxing break turned into one of the worst days of his life.

The father-of-three from Weybridge in Surrey headed out for a round of golf with his friend. The pair reached the first hole when David collapsed in a “crumpled heap” completely unresponsive.

“The last thing I remember is feeling my heart beating double time,” David recalls.

Fortunately, David’s friend was first aid trained and recognising his grave situation he quickly began CPR and 999 was called.

Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance’s Helimed 76 was dispatched from its Perth base and flew to the scene in just eight minutes.

“I don’t know how long it was before I regained consciousness,” says David. “But when I came to I seen this big yellow helicopter parked just a few meters away on the fairway and shortly after that I spotted a land ambulance speeding down the hotel track.

“When I woke up, I was violently sick and my chest was really sore.

“The SCAA paramedics were really orchestrating things. I remember a paramedic called Gillian helping me and I felt like I was in very capable hands.”

An ECG monitor was set up to continually check David’s heart rate and rhythm. Medication was also administered.

SCAA paramedic Gillian comments: “I remember this tasking very clearly.

“The priority at the time was to stabilise David for transport. We also phoned ahead to the receiving cardiac team to discuss David’s condition prior to arrival at Ninewells.”

A decision was made among SCAA crew and their Scottish Ambulance Service colleagues about getting David to hospital and to specialist care.

“Everything felt out with my control,” he comments. “I had to rely on that fact that the crew would do everything they could to try to help me. Which they certainly did.

“The people around me were doing their very best to ensure I didn’t have another arrest. They managed to keep me alive, stable, and take me to hospital.”

By this stage David was alert and awake. He bid goodbye to his wife who had rushed to the scene after hearing what had happened.

David was transferred by stretcher to the awaiting SCAA helicopter air ambulance and flown to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee in under 15 minutes, saving him a 45-minute journey by road.

During the short journey, SCAA crew remained vigilant in monitoring his heart rate and rhythm as well as his blood pressure and blood oxygen levels. There was also a contingency plan in place in case David were to go into cardiac arrest again.

Once delivered to hospital, he was informed that the incident was triggered due to a blocked artery and leaking heart valves.

“When I got to the hospital, everyone was very animated by my condition,” David admits. “I was grateful that I had got to hospital as quickly as I had - the thought of getting there any later than I did might have created an opportunity for things to go wrong.”

David admits it took around 12 hours for his heartrate to slow to a normal level. He subsequently received life-saving bypass surgery once the bruising on his heart healed. A year post-incident and he now feels fully recovered.

Reflecting on SCAA’s frontline service and involvement on the day, he is in no doubt of the benefit the charity played.

He says: “Without SCAA there, the situation could have been very different. They helped save my life. For that, I am incredibly grateful.

“Without the help from all those medics, I’m certain I wouldn’t be here.

“Since then, I’ve got to see another grandchild born, I’ve got to spend another year with my wife, three kids and six grandkids. It would be a different world for them without me.”

Gillian says: “It’s great to hear that David has made such a good recovery over the last year.

“We’re all wishing David well and sending him warm wishes for continued good health. Hopefully he can return to Gleneagles and get a bit further than the first fairway.”

Shortly after his incident, David signed up to play the SCAA lottery, and he continues to support the charity.