Rockhampton woman Jess Allen thanks the saviours who restarted her heart

‘My heart was burning’: Jess Allen, 21, was running water for her rugby club when she collapsed on the sideline. For 10 minutes, she had no heartbeat. Bystanders brought her back to life before she spent five days in a coma. Read her incredible story of survival.

Jess Allen, who was revived on the sideline of a Gladstone rugby union field after a cardiac arrest, with daughter Amanii.

When young Rockhampton mum Jess Allen woke in a hospital bed on August 11, she thought she must have had surgery for a sport-related injury.

She had no idea that just days earlier her heart had stopped, and she had been revived on the sideline of a Gladstone rugby union field.

The 21-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest on August 7 while running water for the Frenchville Pioneers senior men in their semi-final against Gladstone.

First responders swung into action, performing CPR while Frenchville player and paramedic Alistair Vagg raced for the defibrillator in his emergency response vehicle.

The sideline saviours kept Jess alive until ambulance officers arrived. She was taken to Gladstone Hospital and then airlifted in an induced coma to Brisbane’s Prince Charles Hospital.

She spent six days in intensive care, five of them in a coma, and four in the cardiac care unit before having an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator inserted in her chest.

The following day Jess returned to Rockhampton to be reunited with her one-year-old daughter Amanii, who was cared for by friends.

She said to embrace her little girl was the most amazing feeling.

“They’re not lying when they say they change so much in a short amount of time,” she said.

“Even after two weeks I could see the difference in Amanii.

“She was a bit upset, almost like mum went on a two-week holiday and she didn’t get to come.”

Jess was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat when she was 10 and with a leaky valve when she was 17 but said there was no indication they would lead to the life-threatening events of that Saturday.

Jess Allen at home with daughter Amanii.

She has no recollection of the incident or anything of the day on which it happened.

“I can’t remember the day at all, it’s just gone,” she said.

“From photos I’ve been shown and things I’ve been told, I looked completely fine and I felt completely fine.

“It was just before I actually ran the water and the tee out that I had said to one of the boys on the sideline that my heart was burning.

“I ran it out and I was all fine and I came back over to the sideline and I said that I felt dizzy and I lay on the ground and it started from there.

“When I woke up in the hospital and my mum was telling me what happened, I was convinced that I didn’t even go to Gladstone.

“I honestly thought I did my ankle or something and had just come out of surgery but straight away the nurses were asking questions like if I knew where I was and everything like that.

Frenchville A-grade men's coach Steve Anderson with women's players (from left) Tylah Phillips, Jess Allen, Amber Shephard, Ta’ Steere and Whaiora Rakena.

“I knew I was in Brisbane, I don’t know how I knew that, but that was about it.

“They told me it had to do with my heart, and I was very confused about what I was hearing.

“Then I was seeing news reports about what had happened and that I had no heartbeat for 10 minutes and that was confronting because I was still trying to work out what was going on.

“It was a lot to take in at first, and I didn’t want to believe it.”

Once Jess knew her daughter was safe and being cared for, she started to come to terms with her near-death experience.

She also gained a full appreciation of what the first responders had done for her that day.

“I literally owe them my life,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for ‘Vaggsy’ having the defibrillator in his ambulance car there, I wouldn’t have got the outcome I did and I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Jess Allen says she does not have enough words for thank the people who saved her life.

“I was in the best hands possible. If it had to happen, that was probably the best place it could have happened.

“I don’t have enough words to thank them. I will always remember what they’ve done.

“I am forever thankful and when my daughter gets older, she’ll be forever thankful that her mum is okay.”

Jess said the ICD in her chest continuously monitored her heartbeats and delivered electric shocks, when needed, to restore a normal heart rhythm.

She wants to return to sport, especially to rugby union that’s community has been so incredibly supportive.

Jess was an integral part of Frenchville and at the club’s recent presentation night was named the Most Dedicated Young Senior Player and shared the women’s Players’ Player with Rebekah Asse.

She cannot play any contact sport this year and before any planned return, will need clearance from her doctors, but she is confident she will be back.

“I think the first game I will be a bit hesitant and it might be a bit scary, but I have a great support around me that I know I’ll be okay,” she said.

“I feel all good, and right now I’m just so grateful to be back running around after my toddler.”

Jess was overwhelmed by the support that came from her club, the broader rugby community and beyond.

A gofundme page set up by her teammates Rebekah Asse and Kalani Heke has raised more than $13,500.

“When I woke up and saw all the support, it was just crazy,” she said.

“You don’t realise just how there is until something like this happens.

“I was always told don’t ever think things can’t happen to you. I always took it with a grain of salt until this happened.

“They are right when they say to live every day as your last because you really don’t know.”