'True heroes' handed special award by Rushden mayor for saving a man's life after suffering cardiac arrest

Tim Sams was in the gym when he stepped off the treadmill and fell to the floor, suffering a cardiac arrest in September last year.

But thankfully the duty manager, Amy Hodges, as well as two other gym users, Katie and Bobby, were on hand to give life-saving first aid.

For their heroics, Rushden mayor Cllr David Coleman has given them a ‘special award’ for the good deed.

Tim was there to see them accept the accolade on Tuesday, March 25.

In a letter written for the presentation, he said: “In August 2024 I had a cardiac arrest and I have the people at the Pemberton Centre in Rushden to thank for saving my life.

“I was finishing my usual easy gym work when I stepped off the treadmill, I do not remember much about what happened next until about two days later.

" I later found out that I collapsed and that those in the gym at the time thought that I had fallen over.

"However Katie, who was a gym member and a teacher, saw what happened and realised that this was serious and put me in the recovery position and then ran for help.

“Amy and the others took turns in performing CPR and using a defibrillator several times until the paramedics arrived, I understand that this was about half an hour, the paramedics then took over and I was transferred to an air ambulance and taken to Kettering General Hospital.

“In amongst all this happening I understand that they were trying to contact my next of kin (wife) and others were driving to my house to find her - unfortunately she was out but she was eventually found.

“Fortunately for me, all concerned were CPR and defibrillator trained and even though they broke six of my ribs, they did an excellent job.

“Hence this is why I am able to tell this story to you.

"As a result of my incident I now understand that all gym staff are now trained in CPR and all members are now asked for next of kin details and any medical conditions.

“When people talk about heroes they say sports men, sports women or pop stars but the true heroes are these wonderful people.”

After the incident, Amy Hodges wrote in her blog about the ‘scary’ experience.

She said: “I didn’t know this man prior to this as I’m a new member of staff. He’s a regular and has been coming for years, but I just haven’t got to know him yet.

“Seeing him alive and well was a gift I could never ever forget. He was of course emotional and so grateful but I just felt in awe of him and his incredible family.”

Data from 2024 research conducted by the University of Warwick suggests that around one in 12 (7.8 per cent) survive to 30 days after experiencing an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and Tim considers himself ‘very lucky’ to be one of the fortunate ones, able to travel on holiday just months after the incident that could have had fatal consequences.

Tim is now ‘100 per cent’ healthy since the fall, and this week was able to reflect on it while on holiday in Lanzarote.

And he added: “I think of the people at the gym, every day I think of them. I was sitting on holiday thinking ‘I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them.’

“I’m sure if they were called on again they would do it again to save someone else’s life.”