Fast-thinking Underwood woman hailled by paremedics for life-saving actions

A quick-thinkinng Underwood woman has been hailed by paramedics after helping save the life of her partner.

Jack Dennis, 25, went into cardiac arrest in the early hours on 23 March this year at the couple’s home in Underwood

But fast-thinking Sophie Bettles sprung into action to administer CPR and give her loved one a chance of survival while help was on the way.

By the time the first ambulance crew arrived, Jack’s heart was beating again, before he went into cardiac arrest again shortly afterwards.

EMAS paramedic Dan McChord, who was was among the first to arrive,” said: “It’s unusual for someone in cardiac arrest to have their heart beating again before we arrive, and that shows just how effective the CPR Sophie gave was.

“She did amazingly and was able to give us the information we needed to help care for Jack.

“Learning how to do CPR is so important. If someone is in cardiac arrest, by attempting to give CPR, you are giving them the best chance of survival when every second counts.

“Without the CPR Sophie gave Jack, he may not have survived, or his life could look very different now.

“Sophie was understandably upset and in shock, but she was very level-headed. We spoke about Jack and the plans they had for the future,”adds Dan.

“I wanted to remind her that she did everything she could and because of her actions he now had the best chance.”

Jack, who has no memory of the cardiac arrest itself, was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham, where he awoke from a medically induced coma the following morning.

“When I was first coming around, I thought I’d been in a car accident,” said Jack. “It was only when the doctors, nurses, Sophie and my family explained everything that I began to understand what had happened.

“I’m eternally grateful for what Sophie did. She did more than many people would have known to do in that situation.”

Following the cardiac arrest, doctors discovered that Jack had a previously unknown congenital heart defect. He later underwent major surgery to replace his aortic valve and part of his aorta before being discharged from hospital on 3 May.

Jack has since been working towards getting back to the life he had before his cardiac arrest.

For him, that has meant returning to his job as a plant engineer and gradually rebuilding his fitness.

Jack added: “My entire goal is not to let this define me. I just wanted to get home, get better and get back to what I usually do.

“Quite early on, I said to Sophie that I’d like to meet the crew and thank them for saving my life. It would also be nice to thank them for how they looked after Sophie that morning.”

The couple now hope that sharing their experience with the public will encourage more people to learn CPR and give them the confidence to act if someone suffers a cardiac arrest.

Sophie said: “If we help one person, that’s what it’s all about.”