A teenager who suffered a cardiac arrest in his bedroom has been reunited with the paramedics who saved him.
Hayden, from Westgate-on-Sea, collapsed in the early hours of January 22.
The 18-year-old’s mum, Stacey, found her son after receiving no response when she called out on her way to work.
After running upstairs, she found him slumped in bed and making unusual breathing sounds which sounded like snoring.
Paramedics quickly identified Hayden was experiencing agonal breathing, a critical sign of cardiac arrest characterised by abnormal, gasping breaths caused by a severe lack of oxygen to the brain.
Stacey said: “I just knew something wasn’t right.
“At first, I thought he was asleep but the sounds he was making didn’t seem normal. It was terrifying.”
Several ambulances were dispatched and paramedics confirmed Hayden was suffering a cardiac arrest.
“I know how serious it was and how lucky I am…”
They began chest compressions and delivered five defibrillator shocks before his heart was successfully restarted.
One paramedic also administered an anaesthetic bundle to support Hayden’s recovery and help protect his brain.
Hayden was taken to the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate where he spent three weeks recovering before being discharged.
Following extensive testing, doctors discovered Hayden has a congenital heart condition – something which has led to his family undergoing screening.
Three months on and the teenager and his family visited Thanet Make Ready Centre to meet the team involved in his care.
Now recovering well, Hayden has returned to everyday life and remains a keen gym-goer.
He said: ”It’s strange not remembering anything, but I know how serious it was and how lucky I am.
“Meeting the people who saved my life was amazing and I can’t thank them enough.”
Paramedic Lauren added: “Jobs like this stay with you and you always wonder what the outcome was, so to meet Hayden and see him doing so well was really special.
“It’s a reminder of how important early intervention and teamwork are in situations like this.”
Stacey and Hayden’s sister, Sydney, have since completed CPR training to ensure they are prepared to respond in an emergency.
Every week in the UK, about 12 people under the age of 35 die following sudden cardiac arrest.
