Amazon delivery driver thanks North Wales paramedics who saved his life after suffering cardiac arrest whilst doing his rounds

A man from the Wirral has reached out to thank the Welsh Ambulance Service paramedics who saved his life and the passers-by who came to his aid.

Amazon delivery driver Adrian Bruce, 52, suffered a cardiac arrest completely out the blue whilst on his rounds in the village of Rhos-on-Sea in North Wales on 06 June, 2019.

“I have no recollection of it at all,” said Adrian, of Upton.

“There was no pain, no warning signs at all. I’ve no idea how long I was lay there for.”

That afternoon, then 18-year-old Jenny Ball was picked up for her regular driving lesson on the same street and ordinarily would have set off in the opposite direction.

But luckily, Jenny and her instructor went a different route that day and spotted Adrian lying on the pavement unconscious with a head injury and jumped out to check on him.

Jenny works as a nurse at a local care home and recognising something was badly wrong, began CPR whilst her instructor Bill Marriot raised the alarm and called 999.

Paramedics David Maloney and Kevan Brady from nearby Aberconwy station were on the scene in minutes and took over the CPR, eventually shocking Adrian four times with a defibrillator to bring him back to life.

“I was rushed to Glan Clwyd Hospital where I spent four days in an induced coma,” said Adrian.

“My wife and daughter were told to expect the worse and the hospital gave them a room so they could stay near me.

“But now, apart from a small scar on my wrist from where the surgeon inserted a stent, you would never know.

“The hospital staff were amazing, the paramedics and everyone who helped are my heroes.”

Speaking on behalf of both paramedics, David Maloney said: “We arrived at the scene to find Adrian on the floor and in cardiac arrest.

“We shocked him four times in the ambulance to get him back and he stayed with us until we were able to transfer his care to the hospital.

“We really appreciate him reaching out to thank us and are both thrilled to hear that he made a good recovery and is back to work and family life.”

But this story does not end there; in fact it was only the beginning of another journey for Adrian who was struck with what is known as Survivor’s Guilt.

“At first, I just refused to acknowledge what had happened,” he said.

“I felt a burden on my family.

“But my wife, Pam, was amazing looking after me and encouraging me every day to try and leave the house and begin to walk again.

“She was my rock.”

Adrian’s rehabilitation took place at St Catherine’s Health Centre, Birkenhead, where he was introduced to their Cardio Fit programme to get him physically back on track as before his cardiac arrest Adrian has lost an impressive five stone with Slimming World.

It was here one of the nurses spoke to him about his feelings of guilt and denial and encouraged him to seek help from his GP.

From here, Adrian was able to move forward with a course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which has helped him come to terms with his experience and feelings.

Today, Adrian enjoys regular gym workouts and has even got back to work, where some very emotional meetings transpired.

“By chance, I was passing down the street where Jenny lives and I decided to stop and knock on the door to thank her for what she’d done,” he said

“I introduced myself as she didn’t recognise me at first, but then she said ‘Last time I saw you, you were blue’.”

And within weeks, by pure coincidence, one of Adrian’s deliveries was to driving instructor Bill Marriot’s house.

“Bill’s wife answered the door for the parcel and I explained who I was and asked would he like to talk to me. He came out and we had a good chat,” said Adrian

Looking to the future, Adrian hopes to set up a meeting with all the people involved in saving his life and to get back to watching his beloved Tranmere Rovers.