A FIT and healthy man's life was turned upside down by a sudden medical emergency, leading to a life-saving intervention and an inspiring recovery

On May 8, Tom Fane, an 55-year old aspiring food entrepreneur collapsed at home on the morning of May 9.

Tom complained of feeling unwell that morning, he described feeling as though he was overheating, however, his skin was noticeably cold and clammy. Within minutes of his unusual symptoms, he fell to the floor, pulseless.

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Tom in hospital May 2024Tom in hospital May 2024 (Image: Supplied)

Tom's wife Amanda said: "I don’t remember picking up the phone and dialling 999, but I do remember barking the word ambulance, while shouting for our 18-year-old son Freddie whom I knew was home. Our elder son had already left for work, and our daughter, was still in bed.

"Tom had fallen awkwardly beside the bed and was on his side, going purple as he wasn’t breathing. We tried moving him but couldn’t. The 999 operator asked if we could get to Fleet Football Club which has a defibrillator. She described exactly where it was - front of the building left hand side. As the club backs on to our house, Freddie, in back to front joggers and sliders, sprinted there to get it. He left at 7.20 just three minutes after Tom collapsed, having typed the defibrillator code into his phone.

"When back, Freddie now flooded with adrenaline, managed to haul him across the floor. We fitted the sticky pads onto Tom’s chest, as per the really clear picture instructions, and administered the first shock at 7.25am, just eight minutes after the arrest. Freddie then performed CPR whilst waiting for the ambulance, he wouldn’t let me take over. We gave Tom two more shocks before the ambulance crew arrived.

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Tom stood next to the defibrillator Tom stood next to the defibrillator (Image: Supplied)

"Since that day, Tom has made a remarkable recovery. It hasn’t all been plain sailing, but we came so close to losing him that morning. He was saved by the defibrillator and early shocking, and by the good quality CPR that Freddie administered. According to one of the ambulance crew, Carrie Blythe, it is unusual for patients with an out of hospital cardiac arrest to make it to hospital, let alone make an almost full recovery.

"We’re sharing our story in the hope that more people will learn CPR, have the courage to try, and to raise awareness of the value of the defibrillators that they have in their locality. Tom would not still be with us if that defibrillator had been any further away."