A Redhill man
who collapsed in cardiac arrest during a training session at a
boxing gym has been reunited with the ambulance team who helped
save his life.

Paul Frost, 56, thanked the team at the Like to Box gym in
Redhill recently some five months after his collapse, having
recovered after undergoing treatment at St George’s Hospital and
being fitted with an internal defibrillator.

Builder, Paul had warmed up and had begun skipping shortly after
6am on 26 October 2018 when gym manager Ian Johnson saw him stumble
to one side and strike his head on the boxing ring steps as he fell
to the floor.

Ian acted quickly to run to Paul to help. Having established he
wasn’t breathing, Ian commenced CPR and, along with gym goers Matt
Smith and Neil Dempsey, provided Paul with the vital treatment he
needed prior to the arrival of the ambulance team.

First to arrive at the scene was Student Paramedic Daren Dyer
with crew mates Frances Borrell and Matt Martin. The team set about
continuing CPR and delivered two shocks to restart Paul’s heart
with a defibrillator.

The trio was
soon joined by SECAmb colleagues as well as the Kent, Surrey and
Sussex air ambulance team who attended from nearby Redhill
Aerodrome by road and provided expert post-resuscitation care en
route to hospital.

Daren said: “Ian, along with Matt and Neil had done a great job
on our arrival. They should be very proud. Their actions in
commencing CPR were vital and so necessary to enable our whole team
to give Paul the best possible chance of survival. Everyone worked
really well as a team.”

Ian said: “I was in the gym office when I saw Paul take three
steps to the left and fall to the floor. When I got to him I knew
it was serious. He had hit his head but we also quickly established
he wasn’t breathing. I’ve been trained in CPR but never had to use
my training in real life. Those four minutes felt like a long time
but with Matt and Neil we did what we had to do.

“The ambulance crew did an amazing job and they really deserve
recognition. I’m just so pleased that Paul is still with us and
look forward to welcoming him back to some light training when he
is ready.”

Paul said:
“I really wanted to meet everyone to say thank you for saving my
life. I’m just so grateful for everything everyone did. I spent
five weeks at St George’s where the treatment was also excellent.
I’m feeling good and really keen to get back to work and to some
training when the time is right.”

Daren added: “It’s been great to see Paul again and see him
looking so well. On behalf of the whole team I wish him and his
family all the very best for the future.”