Every week in the UK, approximately 12 people under the age of 35 die following sudden cardiac arrest and for 18-year-old Hayden from Westgate-on-Sea, SECAmb’s rapid response proved truly lifesaving.

Hayden collapsed on the morning of 22 January 2026 while at home with his mum, Stacey, who was preparing to leave for work. He had been in bed getting ready to start his day when Stacey briefly checked in to say good morning.

As she was about to leave the house, Stacey called out to Hayden but got no response. Concerned, she ran upstairs where she found him slumped in bed and making unusual breathing sounds which sounded like snoring.

Realising something was seriously wrong, Stacey immediately dialled 999 and spoke to Emergency Medical Advisor Ellie, who quickly identified that Hayden was experiencing agonal breathing which is a critical sign of cardiac arrest characterised by abnormal, gasping breaths caused by a severe lack of oxygen to the brain.

Stacey said “I just knew something wasn’t right. At first, I thought he was asleep but the sounds he was making didn’t seem normal. It was terrifying.”

Multiple ambulance crews were dispatched and within a minute of the emergency call, crewmates Mackenzie, Lauren and Hannah arrived on scene. They confirmed Hayden was in cardiac arrest and began chest compressions before delivering a defibrillator shock.

They were soon joined by crewmates, Ed and Jamie, alongside Critical Care Paramedic, Caleb, and Operational Team Leader, Carl. In total, five shocks were delivered before Hayden’s heart was successfully restarted, achieving a return of spontaneous circulation.

Caleb administered an anaesthetic bundle to support Hayden’s recovery and help protect his brain following the cardiac arrest.

Caleb said “It was a real team effort, with everyone single one of us focused on giving Hayden the very best chance. To later hear that he’d made such a strong recovery and then go on to reunite with him is exactly why we do this job.”

Hayden was taken to the Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate where he spent three weeks recovering before being discharged home to his family. Following extensive testing, doctors discovered Hayden has a congenital heart condition. As a result, his family members are now undergoing screening.

Hayden said “It’s strange not remembering anything, but I know how serious it was and how lucky I am. Meeting the people who saved my life was amazing and I can’t thank them enough.”

Just over two months on from the incident, Hayden and his family visited Thanet Make Ready Centre to meet the team involved in his care, including Mackenzie, Hannah, Lauren, Caleb, Ed and Jamie to thank them in person and to learn more about the role they played in saving his life.

Now recovering well, Hayden has returned to everyday life and remains a keen gym-goer. The experience has also prompted his family to take action. Stacey and Hayden’s sister, Sydney, have since completed CPR training to ensure they are prepared to respond in an emergency.

Paramedic Lauren added “Jobs like this stay with you and you always wonder what the outcome was, so to meet Hayden and see him doing so well was really special. It’s a reminder of how important early intervention and teamwork are in situations like this.”

If you would like to join Stacey and Sydney in learning how to perform CPR, you can do so in 15 minutes with the British Heart Foundation by clicking here.