48-year-old midwife Charlotte from Ingleby Barwick has been reunited with the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) teams who saved her life after she suffered a cardiac arrest at home.
The emotional reunion took place at Coulby Newham station during Restart a Heart Week, which raises awareness of cardiac arrest and the importance of learning CPR.
On 1 August, after returning home from a colleague’s leaving party, Charlotte went into cardiac arrest in the early hours. Her husband Phil, a critical care physiotherapist, woke to hear her breathing abnormally. When he tried to wake her, she was grey, unresponsive and her pupils were fixed. Recognising the signs, he called 999 – ultimately, saving her life.
“What Phil did was incredible and shows the value of early bystander CPR - I’m so grateful that he recognised that he needed to act quickly.” said Charlotte.
“I feel so lucky to have this extra time with our children Sophie and Will and my family and friends. Life feels like it has a golden sparkle to it since and I’m so relieved that I don’t have any issues affecting my brain. My husband is very modest, but he really is my lifesaver and my hero.”
In 2024/25, the North East Ambulance Service’s health advisors supported over 1,800 999 callers in giving CPR over the phone and helped dispatch over 6,500 community defibrillators to emergencies across the region.
Health advisor Emma Morl guided Phil through life-saving CPR while dispatch officers Ryan Swann and Rebecca Dunn, and communications officers Emelia Stephenson and Rebecca Patrick coordinated the emergency response.
“Cardiac arrest calls are always challenging, but they’re also the ones that bring the most satisfaction,” said Emma. “On this call, Phil was outstanding, following every instruction calmly under immense pressure. Knowing that my guidance helped support him in saving Charlotte’s life is incredibly rewarding. Being able to meet Charlotte and Phil now is truly an honour.”
For Phil, performing CPR on his wife was an experience that no amount of professional training could have prepared him for. Drawing on his medical background, he knew he had to stay calm to give her the best possible chance. “I’ve been trained in CPR and have used it before at work, but doing it on my wife, alone at home, was an entirely different experience,” he said.
Meanwhile, community first responder Deborah Gale, alerted through the GoodSAM app, ran to the couple’s home - still in her pyjamas - with a defibrillator, arriving just as the ambulance crew reached the scene.
Community first responders (CFRs) for the ambulance service volunteer their personal time to respond to emergencies in their local communities. In 2024/25, the service’s 138 CFRs collectively volunteered over 41,000 hours for the service and responded to more than 1,800 patients in need.
“When I received the alert on GoodSAM and saw that it was a cardiac arrest, like most jobs, my legs turned to jelly and my adrenaline went through the roof,” Deborah said. “Every single second is precious when responding to cardiac arrests, and I’m really proud to have been part of a chain of incredible people, who when faced with a time critical (and in Phil’s case, terrifying) incident, helped save Charlottes life.
“I’m thrilled Charlotte has made a good recovery; that Phil still has his wife, their children still have their mum, and her parents still have their daughter. That’s why we do what we do.”
Paramedics Jess Illing and Emily Johnson, ambulance support practitioner Urfan Hussain, paramedic apprentice Amy Powls, and clinical team leader Michal Dabrowski arrived within minutes of the 999 call being made. In the first few moments of being on-scene, they supported Debrorah and specialist paramedic, Paul Renwick, who were continuing CPR and delivering medication into Charlotte’s bone marrow that restored her heartbeat, before taking over her treatment.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OOHCA) demand rapid thinking and timely intervention to give patients the best chance of survival. Early CPR and defibrillation significantly improve outcomes. In 2024/25, NEAS was ranked first nationally for return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), with 32.8% of cardiac arrest patients achieving ROSC.
“In the moment of the arrest, everything is focused on quick action, interventions, and teamwork to provide the best possible chance of survival,” said Jess. “Reuniting with Charlotte and her family, knowing she’s made such a fantastic recovery, is incredibly rewarding.”
Amy added: “Being reunited with her and her family is an emotional and humbling experience. Moments like this remind me why I chose this profession.”
A successful ROSC is just the start of a cardiac arrest patient’s journey to recovery; the first 30 days post-arrest are crucial in determining long-term outcomes. NEAS was also ranked first for post-arrest survival, with 11.7% of patients surviving beyond 30 days.
Charlotte was taken to University Hospital North Tees for ten days before being transferred to James Cook University Hospital, where she had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted. She is now undergoing genetic testing for Long QT Syndrome and other electrical heart disorders.
“The ambulance service was amazing,” said Charlotte. “It feels so humbling to experience this service as a patient. When your life is in danger, you make a 999 call, and they do everything they can to make sure that a family has the best chance of a normal life together.”
Phil added: “The call handler’s calm guidance and reassurance were invaluable. When the crews and Debbie arrived, it was still incredibly stressful, but they were all amazing; we’ll always be grateful for their quick response and skill in saving not only Charlotte’s life, but her quality of life too.”
Thanks to the efforts of Phil and the NEAS teams who helped save her life, Charlotte is now on the road to recovery. Those crucial first moments of CPR and defibrillation, and the brave calmness of her husband, means that Charlotte can continue to do what she loves – delivering Teesside’s babies as a midwife, and spending much-cherished time with her family. Quick intervention in a cardiac arrest really does mean the difference between life and death.
Learn CPR for free in just 15 minutes with RevivR by the British Heart Foundation (BHF): https://