Express & Star

'I asked my wife if I was going to die': Dad was shocked 16 times after his heart stopped at home

A Staffordshire dad who dropped his son off at nursery and minutes later was fighting for his life on the floor of his home was saved thanks to the quick work of his wife and dedicated paramedic heroes.

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Richard Ward, 38, from Cannock, woke up to an ordinary morning at home earlier this year - on March 8 - and as he usually would, dropped his son Lucas off at nursery before carrying on with his day.

But moments after he arrived back home he collapsed on the ground, lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.

His wife Teresa, 38, only realised what happened when she heard a loud bang in her home while upstairs making a phone call, and was horrified to find her husband 'making a strange gasping, grunting noise' on the ground.

Quick-thinking teacher Teresa raced to her neighbour's house for help - who is a retired community first responder - and between them did CPR on Richard until the first ambulance arrived, which got to the scene just a few minutes after they were called.

Richard woke up in hospital a few days after the incident having no idea what had happened