Clitheroe man thanks stranger for heart attack hospital dash
BBCA man has praised the quick-thinking of a stranger who rushed to his aid when he suffered a heart attack and faced a 30-minute wait for an ambulance.
Gary Walton, of Clitheroe, Lancashire, was able to flag down a woman, named Mary, who then drove him to hospital on 26 September.
The 63-year-old said he "wouldn't be here" if it was not for Mary's actions.
He said he was delighted that he was able to thank Mary after his social media plea to find her went viral.
He told BBC Radio Lancashire he was travelling to Brierfield when he started to feel faint and got chest pains near Sabden so he pulled into a layby and called 999.
Mr Walton then flagged down Mary and handed her his mobile phone as he was struggling to speak.
The ambulance call handler told her there could be a wait of at least 30 minutes so she decided to drive him to Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Mr Walton said she was "speaking to me and telling me not to worry" but added "it must have been awful for her".
When they arrived at Royal Blackburn Hospital, he recalled hearing her screaming for help.
Mr Walton said he was now recovering after having stents fitted and praised the hospital's medical team who were "absolutely fantastic".
However, he said he "wouldn't have been here" if not for Mary's intervention.
GoogleMary said she was "so happy" to hear he had recovered as she feared he would not make it.
She said she stopped to help when she saw him by the road.
When the ambulance call handler told her it would be a 30-minute wait for an ambulance she said she told them: "I really don't think that is quick enough".
The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) thanked the "kind Samaritan that came to Mr Walton's aid" and said it used a clinical triage system to assess the condition of patients and "prioritise the most seriously ill".
The spokesman said it offered estimated times to patients who were not in an immediate life-threatening condition and were able to make their own way to hospital.
"However, ambulances will frequently arrive sooner than advised."
