Man reunites with life-saving team after going into cardiac arrest at football match

It’s not the heart-stopping finish you hope for at a football match, but thanks to great teamwork by clinicians, football fan Paul Archer’s life was saved after he went into cardiac arrest during Chelsea’s match against Manchester City last November.

This week Paul Archer was reunited with the St John Ambulance volunteer, Prince Tandukar, London Ambulance Service Paramedic, Billy Britton, and doctors at the stadium who saved him when his heart stopped beating and pumping blood and oxygen around his body.

In addition to meeting the people who saved his life at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge stadium, Paul was guest of honour in the press room during a Q&A with Chelsea TV’s Lee Parker before being surprised by Chelsea legend John Terry.

Three months on from his ordeal, Paul is encouraging people to learn life-saving skills like chest compressions.

He said:

“It was so important for me to be able to meet the heroes who saved my life and to say thank you. It was very interesting to learn exactly what happened and how the CPR kept me alive after my cardiac arrest.

“It was great to know that all the right things were done and I’m here today to say thank you to Prince and Billy. It was a blessing that there were experts there who could respond so quickly.

“I just want to make people aware of the right CPR approach – I know first-hand that it’s essential that people know the basics. I’m proof that the right person being there can save a life”

London Ambulance Service Paramedic Billy Britton said:

“I was just doing my job – obviously Prince from St John Ambulance played a blinder providing those vital chest compressions to Paul that kept him alive in the early minutes

“Paul was extremely lucky to have someone so close to him that knew CPR. But most cardiac arrests happen in the home so people who learn how to give chest compressions could end up saving a loved one.

“It goes to show how vital those compressions can be and by getting that training and doing the basics can save a life.”

London Ambulance Service is aiming to make London a city of lifesavers through its London Lifesavers campaign. Funded by a grant provided by NHS Charities Together to our charity, London Ambulance Charity, it trains people to learn the simple steps to take when someone is in cardiac arrest.

Help us to help Londoners by becoming a London Lifesaver today.