Grassroots Coach Graham “Jock” Campbell has one massive thing to say to fellow coach Chris Corrance, and that is……
“Thank you for saving my life”
Graham was coaching his Pickering Town side acting as a linesman when he fell ill.
“I knew I was feeling unwell as I was hot and sweaty, but I managed to turn round and tell one of the parents I wasn’t feeling well, then I was gone.”
“If I had been on my own at the time who knows what would have happened. I was walking up the line and I felt my heart racing.
“My heart used to go into a fast rhythm anyway, but I could hold my breath and slow it down and that stopped it.
“There was no way I could stop it on that day and it got up to 352 beats per minute. I can’t thank Chris enough for what he did on that day.”
“I wasn’t breathing or moving and all the signs of being dead were there. The 45-year-old father-of-two has made a full recovery after having a defibrillator fitted to his heart, and has moved to thank Mr Corrance for what he did. “He saved my life,” said Mr Campbell.
Mr Corrance gave his fellow coach gave two lifesaving breaths and was helped out by a spectator who gave chest compressions.
The dad of Thomas, 14, and Millie, nine, eventually came round but was dazed and confused.
He added: “I remember coming round and seeing Chris sat over me and I said ‘get off me’. He said I had passed out but I didn’t know what was happening.”
Chris Corrance, a coach of Huntington under 15s side, has been honoured by his club after he rushed to give CPR to Graham ‘Jock’ Campbell when his pacemaker failed in February. Grassroots would like to say well done to a true Grassroots hero and highlights the importance of First Aid and Defibs within Football.
