January 11, 2018 3.08 pm This story is over 74 months old

Scunthorpe steelworker survived cardiac arrests… while he was still conscious

An incredible story.
John Jackson (right) reunited with the heroes who saved his life. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter

A Scunthorpe steelworker who remarkably survived cardiac arrests while conscious has been reunited with the heroes who saved his life.

John Jackson, 63, became ill after arriving at work at British Steel on November 30.

John Jackson (right) reunited with the heroes who saved his life. Photo: Steve Smailes for Lincolnshire Reporter

Within minutes East Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic Steve Green and technicians Sharon Guest-Turner and Stewart Fletcher were at the scene.

While assessing John, his heart stopped working and he went into cardiac arrest.

Steve, Sharon and Stewart restarted his heart and transferred him to Scunthorpe Hospital.

However, on arrival, John suffered another cardiac arrest.

He was resuscitated again and transferred to Castle Hill Hospital in Hull.

John woke up nine days later and was soon discharged from hospital.

Just over one month after falling ill, John was able to be reunited with the ambulance crew who saved his life.

Photo: Lincolnshire Reporter

Paramedic Steve said: “During the majority of the resuscitation in the hospital, John remained conscious which is something I’ve never seen before and the consultant I was working alongside had never seen before.

“At that point, John should, in any other event, have been unconscious.

“It became peculiar in the fact that we were doing CPR on a gentleman who was conscious. We were also shocking the gentleman while he was still conscious.

“John has good recollection of what was going on – he can remember phrases that were said to him, he can remember voices.

“He even tells me in the back of the vehicle during our initial resuscitation, that he remembers from an out of body experience watching what we were doing!”

An emotional John thanked the crew and call handler Reema Waltham at Scunthorpe Ambulance Station on Thursday, January 11.

He said: “Thank you just isn’t enough but what other words are there?

“The biggest thank you they get is me still being here, still being alive and being able to talk to them.”