Charity Runner Saves Man’s Life After Cardiac Arrest During Event
A charity runner has recounted the dramatic moment he helped save a man’s life after he collapsed during a running event. Michael Donkin was participating in the Great North 10k in Newcastle when he noticed a man collapsed on the side of the road.
Mr. Donkin, who is trained in CPR, immediately rushed to assist the man. He was joined by Sergio Petrucci, the founder of the Red Sky Foundation charity, which specializes in cardiac care.
“The care and help he got very quickly couldn’t have been more textbook, even if you planned it in advance,” said Mr. Donkin.
The pair delivered the first of three shocks from a defibrillator before an ambulance arrived to take the man to the hospital, where he is now recovering.
‘Gasping for Air’
Mr. Donkin explained that it was pure chance he was in a position to help the man during Sunday’s run. “I was meant to be running in the first wave, but because of a series of events, we ended up in the last wave,” he said. “We were a couple of minutes into the run when a gentleman collapsed to the side of us.”
Dressed as a knight, complete with a red cape and plastic sword, Mr. Donkin noticed the man exhibiting agonal breathing, a sign of severe distress where someone is gasping for air. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, he knew he had to step in.
“It became evident quickly that we needed to perform CPR—and luckily Sergio was just up the road with a defibrillator,” he added.
Mr. Petrucci, from Sunderland, mentioned that he carries a defibrillator with him “everywhere he goes,” though this was his first time using it. “We’ve been putting defibrillators all over public spaces, giving people the best chance to have their lives saved if they are going into cardiac arrest,” he said.
Mr. Donkin and Mr. Petrucci were soon joined by student nurse Lisa Loftus, who also stopped to help. “As I was starting CPR, another runner stopped who happened to be a woman who was finishing her nursing degree and assisted too,” Mr. Donkin added.
Mr. Petrucci described the scene as a “fairy tale ending.” “He was dressed as a knight in shining armour, while Lisa [the student nurse] had the hair of a unicorn, and the defibrillator was in my hand ready to go!” he said.
Thanks to the quick actions of these good Samaritans, the man is now on the road to recovery.
