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Wife's Heroism Saves Husband After Cardiac Arrest at Wheel
12 Feb
Summary
- Wife seized steering wheel to save husband during a cardiac arrest.
- Bystanders performed CPR and used a defibrillator, saving his life.
- East Anglian Air Ambulance airlifted him to a specialist hospital.
In March 2024, Stevie Chalmers experienced a life-threatening cardiac arrest while driving at high speed on a dual carriageway in Cambridgeshire. His wife, Elly, in the passenger seat, reacted swiftly, seizing the steering wheel to avert a collision and bring the vehicle to a stop.
Bystanders, including a former police officer, immediately began CPR on Stevie, who had become unresponsive. A works vehicle driver with an onboard defibrillator also stopped to assist, drastically improving survival odds. The East Anglian Air Ambulance, with a doctor and critical care paramedic, arrived via helicopter to provide advanced medical care.
Stevie was airlifted to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, a journey that took just 12 minutes, compared to a 50-minute drive. He remained in hospital for ten days, receiving a dual-chamber internal defibrillator for a diagnosed hardening of his heart's left ventricle.
The East Anglian Air Ambulance's aftercare service provided support to both Stevie and Elly. They now advocate for donations to the charity, emphasizing its vital role in providing round-the-clock critical care across Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk.
