A hero Scots bus driver who saved a passenger's life when he suffered a cardiac arrest has won a top award.
William Bell, better known as Billy, leapt into action when John McCann suffered a cardiac arrest while travelling on the No 57 from Pollokshaws to Glasgow. John was travelling to meet friends for a game of tennis when Billy acted quickly after being alerted by another passenger.
Billy, from East Kilbride, assessed the situation while keeping a calm head as he instructed someone to call an ambulance. As reported by Glasgow Live, he then put John into the recovery position and commenced life-saving CPR for more than 20 minutes.
Billy and John have since reunited and have created a special bond - and Billy has now been rewarded for his life saving actions at the Scottish First Aid Awards.
Recalling the event, Billy, who has been a driver for First Bus for more than a decade, said: “I kept speaking to John, trying to reassure him that he would be ok, but I could tell something was wrong. He was visibly in pain, moving in his chair, struggling to speak and breathe and was quickly getting worse.
“I got him into the recovery position, at which point he was no longer speaking and his lips were turning blue. I started CPR. The whole time I was trying to stay calm and focus on keeping him alive.”
As we approach the two year anniversary of the incident, which happened in April 2021, Billy scooped the award for First Aid Hero in recognition of his actions.
On winning his award, Billy Bell said: “I am greatly honoured to have won this award. It was a challenging situation but when you have been first aid trained, it gives you the confidence to step in and do what you need to do. I’m so pleased that John is alive and well.”
More than 400 people attended the St Andrew's First Aid Scottish First Aid Awards which were held at the Radisson Blue in Glasgow City. The night was hosted by actor, comedian and writer, Sanjeev Kohli, best known for his performance as Navid Harrid from Still Game.
Stuart Callison, chief executive of St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “The very best of the west were recognised on the night, with each individual demonstrating an incredible contribution to first aid.
“These awards are all about sharing the tremendous stories of first aid excellence and to shining a spotlight on the value and importance of first aid skills.
“As a first aid charity, our ambition is to create a nation of life-savers in Scotland, so it is great to be able to share these exceptional efforts of everyday people - and hopefully encourage others to take up the opportunity to help save a life too.”
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