A quick-thinking young brother and sister who saved their dad’s life after his cardiac arrest have been honoured as heroes by police.
Stuart Waters, 48, was in the car with daughter Sadie, 10, and seven-year-old son Jude when he fell ill just outside their home.
He said: “The first thing I knew about it was in hospital three days later.
“We had been to football training, drove back, pulled up outside of the house to reverse on to the drive and then it was lights out. I had been to work that day, not felt bad or anything.”
Sadie and her brother undid their dad’s seatbelt as soon as they realised he was in trouble, and ran to the house to get help.
She said: “The door was locked so we were banging on it and then Mum came down from her shower.”
Proud mum Leanne, 38, said: “I thought they were being silly at first. They were shouting, ‘There’s something wrong with Daddy.’
“He was not breathing and I went into panic mode. I ran off to try to get help, loads of people came out.”
She added that two women gave Stuart CPR until paramedics arrived after the incident in March.
He was rushed to hospital and is now recovering at home in Pembury, Kent, after an operation.
Stuart, who can no longer work as an HGV driver, said: “I never thought this would happen to me. It was a major, major shock.”
Sgt Joe Breen of Kent Police presented Sadie and Jude with the Schools Team Certificate of Resilience.
He said: “Sadie and Jude ultimately saved their dad’s life during what was clearly an extremely distressing event.
“Medical staff said that without their incredibly swift actions it would likely have been a different outcome.”
