Grovedale man Trevor Bennion beat the odds after cardiac arrest

A Grovedale woman performed CPR on her husband for 14 minutes after his heart stopped beating on their usual morning walk.

Rhonda and Trevor Bennion. Picture: Alison Wynd.

                              

The morning ritual of Trevor and Rhonda Bennion was to walk to Bean Squeeze nearby their Grovedale home to grab a caffeine fix.

But on August 9, as the couple made their way home, Mr Bennion started breathing erratically and collapsed against a letterbox.

Just 10 months earlier, he had been given the all clear from his cardiologist following a regular check up due to his family history.

Thankfully, Mrs Bennion, a practice manager at a Geelong West GP clinic prior to retiring, was well versed in first aid.

Having called an ambulance, she performed CPR on her husband for 14 minutes.

Upon the arrival of paramedics, Mr Bennion was twice shocked with a defibrillator before his heart started beating again.

He was then intubated and taken to Geelong hospital.

The 65-year-old spent three days in intensive care and a further four days in hospital, where he was fitted with a stent due to a 90 per cent blockage in one of his main arteries.

He said based on statistics there was little hope he would survive.

“It was scary to start with because you think ‘I shouldn’t be here, what am I doing sitting here?’, which is psychologically tough,” he said.

Trevor Bennion at the location where he was brought back to life by wife Rhonda. Picture: Alison Wynd.

“After that, you think how lucky you are to have a second chance and look at life differently.

“Don’t take it for granted, there’s no guarantee of tomorrow, so live your life and love your family.”

The couple have three children and seven grandchildren, and Mr Bennion said it was very special to be able to watch them grow up.

Mrs Bennion said no words could express their gratitude and respect for the ambulance service, particularly the two crews who saved Mr Bennion’s life.

“We are particularly grateful for the care and professionalism they showed, clearly explaining what was going on and how to get through the next few steps and hours at the hospital,” she said.

First on the scene were paramedics Alyce Message and Lauren Schillaci.

“In my 17-year career as a paramedic, I’ve only seen a couple of people survive cardiac arrest,” Ms Message said.

“I would hope everyone hearing Trevor’s story can go away and consider learning CPR, because as this family found out, you never know when you will need it, and maybe it will save the person you love.”

After eight weeks of cardiac rehabilitation at the McKellar Centre, Mr Bennion said he now felt fitter than before his cardiac arrest.

Trevor and Rhonda Bennion thank paramedics, from left, Lauren Schillaci, Alyce Message, Matthew Van Der Ploeg and Ben Costin.

About 400 people across Geelong took part in Ambulance Victoria’s recent Shocktober campaign, where they were educated on CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as Grovedale man Trevor Bennion beat the odds after cardiac arrest