Riddells Creek couple catch up with ‘magnificent’ paramedics who saved man’s life

A RIDDELLS Creek woman is forever indebted to the “wonderful, magnificent” paramedics who helped bring her husband back to life.

Tom and Sandra Woodlock catch up with paramedics Samantha McDonald, Nathan Grimshaw and Tim Britten at Gisborne ambulance station last week. Picture: Kylie Else

A RIDDELLS Creek woman is forever indebted to the “wonderful, magnificent” paramedics who helped bring her husband back to life after a cardiac arrest.

The Leader last week arranged for the couple to meet, embrace and say thanks to the life-saving heroes at Gisborne ambulance station.

On September 11 last year, Sandra Woodlock woke to her husband Tom, 70, making a loud gasping noise. She immediately called 000 and began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation with the help of advice from the phone operator.

Paramedics arrived in less than 10 minutes as Mr Woodlock began to turn blue. They took over, attached a defibrillator and shocked him several times.

Paramedics then administered medications and a breathing tube before Mr Woodlock was rushed to Sunshine Hospital.

He spent a month recovering, including two weeks in intensive care, before returning home.

For two hours, Mrs Woodlock feared her husband was dead but said the paramedics’ perseverance kept him alive.

“They didn’t just save Tom’s life that morning, they saved my life and saved everyone such heartache; they were wonderful, just magnificent,” she said.

Paramedic Samantha McDonald and her colleague “walked in to Sandra being understandably
quite distressed after doing CPR on her husband”.

“Given the circumstances, Sandra did a great job with CPR,” Ms McDonald said.

MICA paramedic Nathan Grimshaw said that CPR was in progress when he arrived and the crew’s defibrillator had been applied.

‘The ambulance crew that was already on scene were doing a fantastic job on Thomas and were absolutely instrumental in saving Thomas’ life,” Mr Grimshaw said.

Mr Woodlock said he was “up and about” six months after his near-death experience and was back playing bowls, mowing the lawn and doing duties around the home.

“Initially I was a bit tired and I’d have afternoon sleeps, but now I’m good as gold,” he said. “Life is very precious and it definitely gives you a bit of a shock because you think you’re immortal.”

Mrs Woodlock said doing a CPR course about 12 months earlier at her husband’s request was pivotal in helping save him.

“I’ve always said to my husband and children, ‘if anything was to happen to me, I don’t want to be resussed, I’ve had a good run’,” she said.

“Tom said, ‘I wouldn’t mind a second chance’; and so then I did a CPR course. Praise the Lord I did.”