The Coles ‘angels’ who saved a mum’s life at Melbourne store

A mother of three has opened up on how her life was saved after she suddenly collapsed while doing a routine supermarket shop.

Mary Brockhoff was simply shopping for sweets at a Melbourne Coles supermarket when she suddenly collapsed.

The Ringwood East mother of three, who was with her 11-year-old daughter Beth, had turned purple and passed out over her trolley in the Burwood East store.

The 51-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest in early September despite having no symptoms or family history of the condition.

As everyone watched on in shock, the store’s manager on duty, Connor Ferris, quickly jumped into action.

Mary Brockhoff and her daughter Beth reunite with Coles workers Roy Zeng (left), Connor Ferris and Emilia Cox who saved Ms Brockhoff’s life. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Mr Ferris, who had first aid training, was assisted by his two colleagues Roy Zeng and Emilia Cox as they received instructions from triple-0 ESTA staff over the phone.

Mr Ferris performed CPR before the three 20-year-olds grabbed the defibrillator and shocked Ms Brockhoff twice.

“I felt the adrenaline and the rush; in the moment it was very intense,” Mr Ferris said.

“I‘ve done training on a doll but it was very different in real life.”

Soon firefighters and paramedics arrived and, thankfully, confirmed that Ms Brockhoff had a pulse.

Ms Cox, a first-year paramedic student, said the experience reinforced her desire to save lives.

“If anything, it's made me want to do the job even more,” she said.

Ms Brockhoff was taken to hospital in a critical condition and spent five days in an induced coma.

But she survived and was recently discharged to recover at home with her family.

Ms Brockhoff called the three Coles workers who saved her life “angels”.

Ms Brockhoff said the Coles workers who saved her life were ‘angels’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

“My family and I cannot begin to thank them for their heroic actions. They are a significant part of our family life together moving forward,” she said.

Ms Brockhoff’s husband Paul struggled to put his gratitude into words for the people who saved his “everything”.

“How do you thank someone who saved the mother of your children's life?” he asked.

With around 19 Victorians suffering a cardiac arrest every day, Ambulance Victoria is urging the public to refresh their CPR skills and sign up to be a GoodSAM responder as part of Shocktober.

Originally published as The Coles ‘angels’ who saved a mum’s life at Melbourne store