Teen’s Life Saved by Neighbour’s CPR Skills After Shocking Collapse
A quick-thinking Medway neighbour has saved a 15-year-old girl’s life after she suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing – all thanks to lifesaving CPR training from Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS).
Sarah Steps In When Grace Collapses
On 6 March, local resident Sarah Malone put her new CPR and defibrillator skills to the ultimate test. Grace Yates, who had been out with friends and preparing for GCSEs, collapsed on a nearby playing field. Her panicked friends rushed her home to her mum, Clare.
Sarah, alerted by her son Kavan who was with Grace, raced to help. “I tapped her cheek and called her name, but she was completely unresponsive,” Sarah recalled. “I knew she wasn’t breathing. I rolled her over, gave her two breaths and called for a defibrillator.”
Team Effort and Lifesaving Tech
Sarah’s husband Lee arrived and took over chest compressions, while Sarah stayed on the phone with emergency advisor Tina Shepherd from South East Coast Ambulance Service. Tina coached Sarah through the CPR and praised her quick thinking.
“Her prior CPR training made a significant difference. Grace is alive today because of Sarah’s actions.”
The Grain on-call fire crew, nearby at a drill, brought the defibrillator and successfully restarted Grace’s heart with a shock. She was then rushed to King’s College Hospital, London, where medics found she had a rare heart condition linked to a gene mutation.
Grace’s Road to Recovery and a Call to Action
Grace spent four days in a coma but is now recovering and regularly monitored. Grateful for Sarah’s life-saving skills, Grace has since attended CPR training herself. “I don’t know what would have happened otherwise,” she admitted.
KFRS is urging locals to sign up for free CPR and defibrillator sessions across Kent, highlighting how these vital skills can save lives.
Upcoming CPR Sessions in Kent
- 17 Oct – Tonbridge
- 4 Nov – Ramsgate
- 6 Nov – Sevenoaks
- 11 Nov – Edenbridge
- 21 Nov – Dartford
Watch Manager Ollie said, “If anyone needed proof these sessions work, Sarah is it. Her training saved Grace’s life.” All KFRS stations have public defibrillators ready for emergencies. Don’t miss your chance to learn these lifesaving skills.
