Jon, Laura and their girls sit proudly with the paramedics who saved his life.
On the morning of January 16th, 2024, Jon, a devoted father and passionate artist, began his day like any other – immersed in his work as a Construction Site Manager, unaware that his life was about to change forever.
Around lunchtime, Jon began to feel an unusual tightness in his chest. His colleagues noticed something wasn’t right. His colour had drained, and he looked unwell. Though he brushed it off at first, his symptoms persisted. Concerned, a colleague insisted on taking him to their local community hospital.
‘I thought it might just be the tail end of the cold we all had over Christmas,’ Jon recalled. ‘Nothing felt serious at first.’
His wife, Laura, had spoken to him just before lunch. He hadn’t mentioned any discomfort. But by the time he arrived at the hospital, panic had set in. As he reached the entrance, Jon collapsed in the doorway. Medical staff quickly realised he was having a heart attack and dialled 999.
Devon Air Ambulance was dispatched immediately. The critical care team met John at the hospital and accompanied him in a land ambulance to the Royal Devon & Exeter (RD&E) Hospital. En route, Jon’s condition deteriorated, and he went into cardiac arrest. The team delivered three shocks with a defibrillator. To protect his vital organs, our Critical Care Doctor placed him in an induced coma.
At RD&E, Jon was rushed into surgery where a stent was fitted. He remained in a coma for eight days. During that time, he suffered recurring seizures, and by day three, doctors began preparing Laura for the worst.
I was told to prepare myself,’ Laura said. ‘On day four, I sat by his side and had a word with him. I told him he had to fight.
Miraculously, by day five, Jon showed signs of improvement when he wiggled his toes during a sedation break. But the rollercoaster continued. A chest infection set in, and doctors decided to let him rest through day seven.
Jon’s daughters, aged 9 and 13, were due to visit on day eight. Laura told him they were coming. That morning, she waited anxiously to be let into his room. ‘I was alone for the first time and feared the worst,’ she said. ‘But then they told me, he was awake.’
Jon remembers that moment faintly. ‘I remember seeing Laura come in, but everything was blurry. I didn’t want my girls to see me like that. But knowing they were coming gave me the strength to fight.’
Today, Jon is deeply grateful to everyone who played a role in saving his life, from his colleagues and hospital staff to the land ambulance crew and the Devon Air Ambulance team.
‘I’m grateful that they all saved my life. There were so many people involved!’ he said. ‘I wanted to do something to give back.’
Jon turned to his art, using it as a way to heal and to help. He began fundraising through his artwork, channelling his gratitude into creativity. In November, he and his family were invited by the charity to visit the North Devon airbase. By chance, the very crew who had saved him were there.
It was emotional, To meet them, to fill in the blanks of what happened. I needed that day. It was part of my recovery.
Later, Jon and Laura visited DAA’s headquarters to share his story and gifted the crew a personalised piece of art, now proudly displayed at the airbase, a lasting tribute to the team who gave him a second chance.
