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Lifeguard Saves Swimmer's Life Twice!
21 May
Summary
- A pool staff member saved a regular swimmer's life two times.
- Both life-saving incidents occurred at Yate Leisure Centre.
- The swimmer underwent heart bypass surgery after the second incident.
A dedicated swimmer experienced a remarkable turn of events when a lifeguard saved his life not once, but twice within a few months at Yate Leisure Centre. Peter Halladay, aged 68, was performing his daily swim in January 2026 when he suffered his second cardiac arrest.
Lifeguard Ashlee Purnell was instrumental in saving Halladay’s life during both emergencies. She administered life-saving CPR and utilized a defibrillator on both occasions, first in November 2025 and again in January 2026.
Following his initial heart attack, Halladay received a stent and returned to swimming 12 weeks later. However, he experienced a second attack shortly after. This led to him undergoing a double heart bypass surgery and receiving an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).
Purnell, who receives monthly first aid training, described the emotional toll of the real-life emergencies, emphasizing the importance of such training for the public. Halladay expressed his gratitude and plans to resume swimming at the Yate facility upon his full recovery.
