Gold Coast Mayoress Ruth Tate recovering from heart attack after collapsing at airport in Europe

MAYOR Tom Tate saved his wife Ruth’s life when she collapsed without warning just minutes before boarding a flight to Europe.

Ruth Tate. Picture: JERAD WILLIAMS

MAYOR Tom Tate saved his wife Ruth’s life when she collapsed without warning just minutes before boarding a flight to Europe.

Mrs Tate, 59, experienced a serious cardiac arrest while walking though Singapore’s Changi Airport hand-in-hand with her husband, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate.

The heart attack was so serious, medical staff performed an emergency evacuation to Changi General Hospital where Mrs Tate was placed in an induced coma.

Mayor Tate has today explained how he immediately performed CPR on her — a skill he’d only just learned.

“I did the full first aid course including CPR earlier this year in the office and I never expected to have to apply that training as I did so soon,” he wrote in a Facebook post today.

Ruth and Tom Tate. Picture: Jerad Williams

“I can only say that you simply never know when that skill will be required to save someone’s life, particularly a loved one.

“Having experienced such a frightening incident such as this, I strongly urge everyone to learn CPR as part of a first aid course.

“Ruth and I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all your warm wishes, thoughts and prayers.”

The Mayoress woke yesterday and is scheduled to have more tests in Singapore on Monday. She is expected to make a full recovery.

Cr Tate has remained by his wife’s side constantly during the medical crisis and is yet to set a date to return to Australia.

Mayoress Ruth Tate

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The Tate family was yesterday inundated with messages of support from fellow civic leaders and the public after news of the mayoress’ health became public.

Fans and supporters took to the mayor’s official Facebook page where they wished Mrs Tate well.

Cr Tate, in a statement to the Bulletin from Singapore, thanked the public for its messages of support.

“The Mayoress suffered a cardiac arrest while in transit at Singapore late last week. I thank everyone for their well wishes and we are blessed that she is making a full recovery,” he said.

“We expect to return home to the Gold Coast in the near future.’’

City hall sources tell the Bulletin the couple will remain in Singapore until Mrs Tate is given a clean bill of health and is strong enough to make the eight hour flight back to Australia.

The Mayor has remained at his wife’s bedside since she was taken ill last week. Picture Glenn Hampson

Under original plans set before the incident, the mayor was due to return to Australia on July 7 and it is expected he will likely return before that.

The Tates flew out of Brisbane last Thursday morning on a Qatar air flight to Singapore for what was expected to be a six-hour layover before travelling on to Rome.

The couple were on a “self-funded” study tour starting in Rome with a cruise of the Mediterranean region to observe its cruise ship terminal infrastructure.

Tom Tate celebrating his 49th birthday.

He hoped to note the types of cruise infrastructure used in the Mediterranean and how it could be applied to the creation of his proposed $450 million cruise ship terminal off The Spit.

During the brief layover, the Mayor is understood to have taken a short tour around Singapore before returning to the airport and had a meal at a corporate lounge.

Ruth Tate with Acting Mayor Councillor Donna Gates. Photo: Jerad Williams

It is understood the Mayoress was in good spirits during the trip before collapsing on the walk to the boarding gate.

Following the health scare, the tour was cancelled.

Throughout the crisis, Cr Tate has remained in constant contact with Acting Mayor Donna Gates and council chief executive Dale Dickson.

Tom and Ruth Tate circa 1980.

Cr Gates yesterday issued a statement to all councillors informing them of the situation.

“The Mayor has asked me to let you know that on Thursday 22 June at 8.30pm Singapore time, en route to Rome, the first lady of this City, our Lady Mayoress, suffered a cardiac arrest and had an emergency evacuation to Changi General Hospital,” Cr Gates wrote.

“The good news is that the Mayoress is out of an induced coma and on her way to a full recovery.”

The Tates have been married for 37 years after meeting while students at the University of NSW.

Together, the couple have four children and have lived on the Gold Coast for more than 25 years.

Tom and Ruth Tate on election day 2016. Picture Mike Batterham