A community worker from Medway gave thanks to his niece’s quick-thinking CPR as he was reunited with the team of SECAmb colleagues who helped to save his life.
Peter O’Donnell, 67, was joined by his sister Annie and niece Shannon for a heart-warming reunion with colleagues at Medway Make Ready Centre (MRC), where they reflected on that night in August 2024, that ultimately changed their lives.
What began as a typical summer evening soon turned critical for Peter. When returning home from work, he felt something wasn’t right and immediately went to the kitchen to check his blood pressure.
Thankfully, Peter wasn’t home alone, and it was his niece Shannon, aged 25 who found him unconscious and unresponsive on the floor.
Drawing on CPR skills she had learned during a PSHE lesson at school seven years earlier, Shannon sprang into action. Within seconds, she began chest compressions while dialling 999.
Emergency Medical Advisor, Alaska Payne answered Shannon’s call, calmly coaching her on the rhythm and technique of CPR. Meanwhile, Resource Dispatcher, Benediktas Lynch coordinated a response team to the scene.
Within just four minutes, the Joint Response Unit (JRU), comprising of SORT Paramedic, Emily Brown and PC Special, Laura Meeks arrived on scene. They took over CPR and delivered two shocks with a defibrillator before further support arrived.
Emergency Care Support Workers, Elizabeth Agyemang and Callum Adams, Newly Qualified Paramedic, Jade LeGall, Student Paramedic, Jack Mottram, Paramedics, Lucy Gower and Matthew Chambers and Critical Care Paramedic, Christopher Fudge all played vital roles in stabilising Peter. The Air Ambulance Charity, Kent, Surrey, Sussex also landed nearby, and together, the team successfully achieved a return of spontaneous circulation.
After four weeks of recovery at Medway Maritime Hospital, Peter had an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) fitted. The small device regulates dangerous heart rhythms and helps prevent future cardiac arrests.
Inspired by the experience, Peter’s niece Shannon has since set up basic life support training for her work colleagues in order to pass on the knowledge.
“Subconsciously, I clearly knew I wasn’t feeling 100%, as I took my blood pressure as soon as I walked in the door,” Peter said, “The next thing I knew, it felt like hundreds of people were crowding around me.”
“I was so thankful to have Alaska on the other end of the phone,” Shannon said. “She made me say ‘push’ out loud every time I did a compression. It felt like an out-of-body experience where I totally disconnected from everything else in that moment.”
“It’s impossible to describe how I feel to have survived this and then to meet all those who helped save me,” Peter said. “It’s extremely emotional and overwhelming, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Annie added: “This group of incredible people really have changed the direction of our lives for the better.”
Emily reflected on the reunion, saying: “It was a pleasure to meet Peter, Annie, and Shannon again. Shannon’s quick actions were crucial. If she hadn’t started CPR when she did, while making that 999 call, the outcome could have been very different.”
Benediktas, who coordinated the response, said: “Being part of the non-patient-facing link in the chain, it was lovely to meet Peter and his family and know that my actions as a dispatcher made a difference that evening.”
“I really wanted to turn this situation into something positive,” Shannon said. “I hope to help others feel confident to step in and make a difference, just like I did that night.”