A woman whose heart stopped beating for at least 28 minutes has heaped praise on the heroic ambulance crew who saved her life.
Louise Higgs, 59, went into cardiac arrest in August 2022 at her home in Angel, Central London. She was saved by London Ambulance Service medics who restarted her heart after more than half an hour of CPR.
Louise and her mum Joan have since had an emotional reunion with the ambulance crew to thank them for saving Louise's life. Joan, who is originally from Dublin, said she couldn't bear the thought of losing Louise, having previously lost her son 13 years ago.
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She said: “I am beyond grateful that these amazing people saved my daughter, my family. I lost my son 13 years ago and one thing’s certain, if Louise hadn’t survived, I would have died too.”
Louise had an operation on her spine in 2017 which left her limbs paralysed. She was in her bedroom getting ready to head to the Emirates Stadium to watch her beloved Arsenal when she started struggling to breathe.
Mum Joan immediately called 999 as Louise's condition meant her airways were already compromised. Lousie was still conscious when paramedic Ellie Varouhakis and Trainee Assistant Ambulance Practitioner Rachel Walters arrived at the scene.
However, Louise’s heart stopped beating a short time later and the crew started delivering life-saving CPR. Louise’s paralysis meant the medics had to be really careful to not damage her neck further, so they called for another ambulance crew for back-up.
As paramedics William Dickinson and Katherine Anderson and Advanced Paramedic Rory Saggers arrived to continue the treatment, Louise’s heart started to beat again. After about half an hour in which Louise’s life was in the balance, she was taken to hospital.
She was initially treated at University College London Hospital for four weeks before being transferred to St Thomas’ Hospital for a further three weeks. While some who have been on the brink of death claim they experienced sensations such as seeing a tunnel of light or encounters with dead loved ones, Louise has no recollection of the few hours she spent on the brink of death.
She joked: “When I died, it’s not like I wanted to see green fields and gambolling sheep, but at least I expected to see Arsenal winning the Champions League!”
Louise and Joan were delighted to meet the paramedic team to thank them for saving Louise's life. Joan said: “Seeing the medics here – in such different circumstances – makes me feel safe. This New Year’s, we raised a glass to celebrate the start of another year together and also to celebrate what this brilliant team have done for us.”
Trainee Assistant Ambulance Practitioner Rachel said: “It’s surreal to see Louise alive, well, talking, in the very room where she died a few months before.
“We got her back to the place where she was before the cardiac arrest: enjoying life with her mother. Her recovery has been incredible and this fills me with joy.”
Paramedic Ellie also said seeing Louise reunited with her family was very touching: “I’ve been doing this job for five years, and I know I’ve saved many lives. But having literally seen the proof that my work has been vital is just extraordinary.”
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