When William Coop suffered the attack at home, his wife called for an ambulance and paramedics were dispatched to the scene. Whilst the ambulance was on its way, a paramedic and a first aider from a local volunteer scheme arrived at the house and set about resuscitating Mr Coop. That volunteer turned out to be Simon Morrell, who Mr Coop had been friends with as a teenager. The pair had lost touch over the years but were reunited thanks to these extraordinary circumstances.
Mr Coop commented on the bizarre reunion, saying:
“I don’t remember anything about the incident – I just remember waking up in hospital. When I heard Simon’s name I just couldn’t believe it. We had been good pals but we drifted apart and lost touch.”
First aid volunteers save many lives each year and people across the UK often owe their lives and health to volunteer programmes and first aid education campaigns that take place with the help of road shows, TV programmes and flyer printing.
Altrincham residents can rest assured they are in good hands with the local emergency services and Community First Responder volunteers, which is the group that Simon Morrell belongs to.
Mr Coop and his wife have expressed how grateful they are to both the medics and the volunteers and vow that Mr Morrell will remain a life-long friend.