Local pensioner Duncan Snell (78) is celebrating life this week as one year ago he suffered a cardiac arrest whilst visiting his favourite coffee shop, MeCycle in Ainsdale in Southport.
Duncan has recently been reunited with the schoolboy, on work placement at the café, who saved his life and presented him and his manager with a cake to say thank you on the one year anniversary.
Duncan, a regular customer at MeCycle, was enjoying his favourite cappuccino coffee. Unknown to his fellow customers and the staff he then suffered a massive heart attack and slumped down in his chair motionless.
Sam Kelly, who was 16 at the time and a pupil at Formby High School was on a work placement and noticed him bent over his coffee.
Sam told us: “I was having a break when I noticed he looked strange so I went over to see if everything was alright and asked him if he was ok! He didn’t say anything so I tapped him on the shoulder but he did nothing and looked white.” Calmly and quickly, Sam went off and found his manager.
An ambulance was called immediately and the shop cleared whilst they moved Duncan on to the floor to lie him down. They were able to access a defibrillator that had recently been installed at Ainsdale train station and began to use it, ripping Duncan’s shirt open in the process.
Along with another member of staff the three of them continued to try to resuscitate him until the ambulance arrived and took him to hospital.
Unfortunately for many months, Sam and MeCycle’s manager Vicky Jones did not know if Duncan had survived his ordeal until one day he suddenly appeared at the café door.
Vicky said “It was like a miracle! We were terrified that the worst happened to Duncan. We had no way of knowing what had happened but we were delighted to see him again.”
Duncan said, “If it wasn’t for the bravery and quick thinking of Sam and Vicky then I could have been a goner! I have been back into MeCycle lots of times and I always look out for Sam and say hello and thank you. He really did save my life.”
Sam has also been presented with a bravery award by the headmaster of Formby High in recognition for his actions.
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