I ‘died’ in a crash but my NHS hero performed open heart surgery on the ROAD to save me
WHEN biker John O’Brien crashed at the roadside, he "died".
The 48-year-old is only here today, thanks to his NHS hero - Dr Mark Forres.
Construction worker John has nominated Dr Forres in the Ultimate Lifesaver category at The Sun's Who Cares Wins health awards, taking place tonight.
John, from Warrington, Cheshire, was on his motorbike travelling at 50mph when he collided with a car last October.
As paramedics tried to treat his injuries – which included a fractured skull, broken back and shattered pelvis – he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Dr Forrres was initially treating the other casualty at the roadside.
He cut open John’s chest and massaged his heart until it resumed beating.
No one else in the world has survived such blunt trauma.
Dr Forrest, Medical Director of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Normally with blunt trauma like this you wouldn’t consider surgery... there’s usually no point.
“But I thought it was worth a try. Within 30 seconds his heart started to respond.” John was transferred by air ambulance to hospital for more surgery. He learnt to walk again in time to escort his daughter Amy, 26, down the aisle in May.
John, who is nominating Dr Forrest for the award, said: “I’m in awe of the medical professionals. There was zero per cent survival rate.
“I’ve got the name of ‘Miracle Man’ now.”
And the other Ultimate Lifesaver nominees are...
Porters' precious cargo
TWO quick-thinking hospital porters saved the life of a seven-week-old baby boy when he suddenly stopped breathing in his mum’s arms.
Sarah and Mike Clifford had just walked into the main entrance of the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford to visit a sick relative in July when little Logan turned blue.
Sarah, 30, said: “He’d stopped breathing. Logan was born seven weeks premature and had chronic lung disease but nothing like this had happened before.”
Porter Ruth Lowe heard her screams and alerted colleague Nick Evans.
He grabbed Logan and performed CPR on him as he raced off to A&E.
Nick, 48, continued CPR until the resuscitation team took over. The two porters waited outside with the pair until they knew he was OK.
Ruth, 47, said: “Hearing him cry was such a relief.”
Logan, now four months old, stayed in hospital for five days. Nick and Ruth visited and bought him a teddy bear.
Nick, a porter for 30 years, said: “I’ve done CPR on adults before but never on a child. It made me emotional.”
Mum-of-four Sarah, who nominated the pair, said: “I have thanked them a million times but it will never be enough. They’re my heroes.”
Mike sparked my heart
Mike Merrett has dedicated his life to helping others.
Mike, of Stroud, Gloucs, joined the South Western Ambulance Service aged 20 and saved countless lives during his career as a paramedic.
The 70-year-old retired in May and among those at his leaving do was former patient Mandy Palk, 51, who has nominated him.
Mum-of-two Mandy, right with Mike, was suffering from chest pains while at home in Kings Stanley, Gloucs, last September and called 999.
Mike and another paramedic were called out. He gave her CPR and used a defibrillator to restart her heart.
Mandy said: “I’ve known Mike for 40 years and I felt reassured when I saw him. I said, ‘Oh, hello Mike!’ then collapsed and went into cardiac arrest.
WHO CARES WINS
“I had an eight per cent chance of survival but Mike carried on with chest compressions and shocks until I came back. He saved my life.” He was also dubbed “Magic Mike” by one six-year-old girl he was called out to after she was struggling to breathe.
And he discovered he had saved the life years earlier of a colleague, who suffered severe burns as a two-year-old, when she started working at Stroud Ambulance Station.
Father-of-four Mike, said: “I loved the job, it was brilliant. I’m so glad Mandy pulled through.”
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