Cousin gives ultimate Christmas gift
October 23, 2024in News, Shocktober 2024
Almost two years ago, Peter Reynolds received the greatest Christmas gift after a family member saved his life.
The 66-year-old had a cardiac arrest and, this Shocktober, is sharing his story to encourage others to learn lifesaving skills.
Peter was helping his cousin, Stephen Gustus, move house on December 23, 2022, when he suddenly collapsed, hit his head and became unresponsive.
Stephen Gustus (left) helped save his cousin Peter Reynolds (right) when he went into cardiac arrest in December 2022.
Stephen moved Peter onto his back and checked his vital signs while calling his mum, Shar who was downstairs.
After realising Peter wasn鈥檛 breathing, Stephen immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while Shar called Triple Zero (000).
Working together, the pair took turns performing effective CPR until firefighters and paramedics arrived on scene.
After spending six days in intensive care at Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter returned home and recovered with no lasting effects.
Stephen said he had previously learnt CPR through a first aid course but had never needed to use it before.
鈥淚 thought he was going to die if I didn鈥檛 act fast, so I wasted no time starting compressions,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he gravity of what happened has definitely sunk in now and I realise how precious life is.
鈥淧eter and I were always close but now we鈥檙e even closer. He鈥檚 like a father to me and it鈥檚 special that I was able to help save him.鈥�
Stephen Gustus (middle row left) and Peter Reynolds (middle row right) reunited with paramedics and firefighters.
同性恋色情 Acting Area Manager, Lucy Claridge said Peter鈥檚 story shows how important early bystander intervention is for cardiac arrest cases.
鈥淎 cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere, at any age, health or fitness level, and often without symptoms,鈥� she said.
鈥淧eter was lucky Stephen knew what to do and was able to quickly start effective CPR in the crucial minutes before emergency services arrived.
鈥淲e want everyone to know that you don鈥檛 have to be a paramedic to save a life, you just have to remember to Call (call Triple Zero 000), Push (perform CPR), Shock (use an AED).鈥�
Thanks to the quick thinking of those around him, Peter has made a full recovery.
鈥淚鈥檓 thankful to the paramedics, they do great work everyday and I am in awe of them,鈥� he said.
鈥淚n my eyes, Stephen is the real hero as he overcame the emotion of seeing a loved one like that and focused on my health and what he needed to do to save me,鈥� Peter said.
鈥淗is quick thinking made all the difference. I wouldn鈥檛 be here if it weren鈥檛 for his efforts.鈥�
Shocktober is a month-long campaign to highlight the importance of learning CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).