A quick-thinking dad saved a cyclist’s life after he collapsed, performing CPR until help arrived.
Darren Neil was going to play golf when Jamie O’Kane fell on the road. Darren knew it was a heart problem and started CPR right away. Darren, who is 41, ran to find the road name for the ambulance. He sprinted about 80 yards and then told them his location.
A nurse also stopped to help; she was a cardiac nurse who had just finished her shift in Edinburgh. The ambulance crew arrived soon after. Jamie went to the hospital quickly.
He was in a coma for four days. He lived because of Darren, and they formed a strong friendship. It was a lucky meeting.
Now, they want everyone to learn CPR and spoke about it with the British Heart Foundation. Over 3,200 cardiac arrests happen each year outside of hospitals in Scotland. Less than 1 in 10 people survive.
Darren, who works in IT and lives in East Calder, said everything helped Jamie survive. It was a quiet road, Darren explained. Two cyclists were ahead of him, preventing him from passing them.
The cyclist on the right swerved and hit the kerb headfirst. Darren stopped his car fast, initially thinking it was a flat tire. The bike’s front wheel was bent.
Jamie was stuck on the road, unconscious and making noises. Darren noticed he was fitting and groaning. Darren knew CPR from coaching swimming.
He moved Jamie, who is 60, and then started chest compressions. Paramedics used a defibrillator, which restarted Jamie’s heart at the roadside. A doctor was on board too, which was another stroke of luck. The doctor quickly relieved pressure on Jamie’s heart.
Jamie was in a coma for four days in the hospital, from Bathgate. Darren was very affected by it. Darren tried to find out if Jamie lived.
The hospital said he did CPR right, breaking Jamie’s sternum doing it. They added that without Darren, Jamie might have died. Darren found it hard to talk about at first, worrying he could have done better. A firefighter friend helped him, saying doing something is better than nothing.
Darren cried when he knew Jamie was okay; it was a very emotional moment for him. Jamie had no memory of it after waking up. He is a fit cyclist with no heart issues in his family. Doctors could not find a reason for the arrest, despite him cycling 70 miles days before.
Jamie worried about his friend Dougie, who was shocked and needed help too. People could not believe Jamie had an arrest; he was known as the fit guy. Before leaving the hospital, Jamie got an ICD, a device to prevent future problems. Doctors said he could cycle again.
Jamie cycled again after twelve days but felt dizzy and stopped. The ICD shocked him, fixing an abnormal heartbeat. Jamie said it felt like a punch. The data showed he had another arrest and an abnormal heartbeat.
Jamie cannot cycle anymore, but he is happy to spend time with his wife. His wife Samantha helped him cope and accept not cycling. He and Darren are now good friends and talk often, every few days.
Darren is teaching CPR at work and elsewhere, thinking it is important. Clubs helped Jamie raise awareness and funds. West Lothian Clarion raised £650, and Linlithgow Cycling Club raised £1000. Jamie says everyone should learn CPR.
We all need to look after each other, for strangers and people we know.