Alison’s Story 🎬

The school holidays were underway, and Alison was happily spending time with her two grandsons. She’d promised them a trip to the park as soon as she finished her morning coffee. Summers were always full of family moments like these, and Alison cherished every minute. But, in an unexpected turn, she collapsed in the kitchen—fortunate that her daughter Georgia, who usually would have been at work, was there to help.

Georgia heard a soft thud that immediately unsettled her. She called out to her mum but got no response.

“I can’t explain it, but I just knew something was wrong,” she says. Rushing to the kitchen, she found her mum on the floor, unresponsive. Without hesitation, she dialled 999 and began CPR, instructing her young nephew to stay in the other room with his brother. Despite the emotional weight of the moment, Georgia focused. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I counted out loud, stayed steady and just kept going.”

Her gym work had required her to renew her first aid training only a few months prior, but she never imagined she would be using it to give her mum the best chance of survival. Within minutes, first responders arrived and took over from Georgia, quickly assessing the situation. They couldn’t determine whether Alison’s collapse was caused by a neurological or cardiac issue, so they called in Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.

Dr Amy Hughes and Paramedic Adam Carr assessed the situation and decided to perform an emergency anaesthetic. “She needed immediate, specialised care,” says Dr Amy. “We knew we had to stabilise her and get her to a cardiac centre as quickly as possible.”
The crew carefully transferred her to Royal Papworth Hospital, a centre renowned for cardiac care, equipped to give her the best chance of recovery. Her daughters anxiously awaited news, trying to make sense of what had happened.

Emma recalls, “I got a call to get to the house immediately. By the time I arrived, the paramedics were already working on Mum. It was chaos, and I just focused on keeping my kids calm. Although my sister had tried to keep both the boys out of the room, my four-year-old was very quiet for days afterwards. One day, he was in the bath, pushing down on a rubber duck, and his dad asked, ‘What are you doing?’ He said, ‘I’m just doing CPR to help the duck.’ It broke my heart.”

In the following days, the family found themselves caught between shock and hope. Becca remembers those moments vividly: “We were all a mess, honestly. It felt surreal. One minute, you’re in the hospital waiting room, and the next, you’re out getting some air, trying to pretend everything’s okay for a moment.”

Despite the uncertainty, Alison’s daughters found ways to support one another. “It’s always been my mum and my sisters—the five of us,” Emma says. “We’re like a puzzle, and without one piece, we just aren’t complete.” They took turns watching over their mum when visiting hours allowed due to the stringent COVID-19 restrictions. “We all wanted to see her, and we actually had to vote on who could go in,” Hannah recalls.

After several agonising days, Alison woke up. Although she had little memory of the events that unfolded, her family was overwhelmed with relief. “She was still very disoriented,” says Georgia. “When we first video called, she kept asking what happened. I didn’t want to overwhelm her, so I just said, ‘You had a fall, mum, but you’re okay now.’”

Reflecting on the weeks following the incident, Alison credits her survival to EHAAT and Georgia’s quick actions. “They saved my mum’s life,” says Georgia, who was deeply affected by the experience. “I had this lingering guilt, wondering if I did everything right, but hearing from the EHAAT team that my CPR had helped keep her brain functioning brought me some peace. They told us that the CPR was so good, her brain didn’t realise her heart had stopped.”

From left to right: Georgia, Emma, Alison, Becca and Hannah.

For Becca, the experience has forever changed how she approaches life. “We don’t take things for granted now,” she says. “We spend more time together, making memories. We’re sisters, so we still bicker sometimes – but it’s different. We’re a lot closer.” Hannah echoes each of her sisters’ sentiments, adding, “The air ambulance isn’t just about that one day – they’ve been there for us since. I think people assume it’s a government service, but it’s charity-funded. We’re so lucky they were there for us.”

Dr Amy Hughes emphasises how essential bystander CPR is to survival. “Bystander CPR can mean the difference between life and death. Alison’s story shows how the chain of survival works. In this case, starting with family, then first responders and finally specialised care.”

Since Alison’s recovery, she and her family have continued to support EHAAT. Alison is a familiar face at events like Strictly Air Ambulance, while Becca has taken on fundraising challenges, running to raise vital funds and awareness. The family also shares their story through one of our patient videos (above), hoping their experience can inspire and bring comfort to others.

For Alison, every day now feels like a gift. “I’m grateful for each moment I get with my daughters and grandkids,” she says. “I try to say yes more often, to savour even the small things.” The experience has had a lasting impact on her daughters, too. “We live for today more,” says Hannah. “When something like this happens, it really shows you what’s important. We’re just so thankful to have her here with us.”