Warwick student helps save life

**A Warwick student has helped to save the life of a man who collapsed in Leamington Spa.
**

Matt Harvey, a third year Engineering student, got on the U1 bus opposite Kelsey’s at around 9.30am on 21st November with two of his friends. When the bus pulled up outside All Saints Church minutes later, Matt looked out the window and saw an elderly man collapse on Priory Terrace on the side of the road opposite the Post Office.

A man on the street approached the collapsed man, who was in his 70s, picked up his phone and shook him. Then Matt hurried down from the top deck of the bus and crossed the road to help.

“I thought I waited,” Mr Harvey told the Boar. “Someone said I just got up and went. I instinctively felt compelled to go for some reason. I’m not sure why.”

Having learnt CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) from his sister, who is a medical student, Mr Harvey was able to administer the emergency first-aid procedure.

When he reached the man he was still breathing slowly, but he soon stopped breathing and as Mr Harvey went to check the pulse he found nothing.

“Not even his heart showed any sign of beating,” said Mr Harvey.

Some staff members from the Royal Mail Post Office came out to help. Mr Harvey administered CPR and one of the Royal Mail staff gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Eventually the man started breathing again.

“It was a miracle,” said Mr Harvey. “I don’t understand how or why I was there at that time.”

He said his friends have told him he should be pleased with what he did. “But it doesn’t feel like I did much,” he said. “I guess it highlights the importance of CPR – for everyone to know First Aid.”

The ambulance didn’t arrive until after Mr Harvey had finished administering CPR, taking over 10 minutes to reach the scene.

Mr Harvey’s friend Alex Lee, a second year psychology student, was on the bus with him at the time and witnessed the incident.

“As soon as the paramedic knew the guy was all right, he just said, ‘Matt, if you hadn’t given that person CPR he’d be dead’,” Mr Lee reported.

“We need to get more First Aid courses going. It was almost simple what [Matt] actually did, but it just took an incredible amount of bravery to step up.”

Mr Harvey did not wish to disclose the name of the man who collapsed, but the _Boar_ understands that he has since been discharged from hospital after making a full recovery.