Family praises lifesaving CPR and air ambulance crew after Jamie survives sudden cardiac arrest.

What began as an ordinary Sunday lunch with family quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency when Jamie suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while playing basketball near his home.

On 22 March 2026, Jamie and his family had gathered at home for Sunday lunch. During half-time in a game they were watching, Jamie and his friend Sam went to play basketball on the tennis courts nearby. Moments later, Jamie suddenly collapsed.

At first, Sam and the children thought Jamie was messing around because of the way he fell backwards. Jamie’s wife, Jenny, said: “One minute he was stood upright and the next he was down on the floor, smashing his head on the ground.”

When Sam realised Jamie’s pulse had stopped, he began chest compressions immediately. Those early compressions proved vital, helping to keep blood flowing before emergency medical help arrived.

The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance crew arrived within minutes. Jenny said: “As soon as the bearded angel, Dr Paul Hancock, HEMS Doctor for the LNAA, arrived from the sky and walked out onto the court, it felt like order had returned.”

Jamie was unresponsive and had no heartbeat for around 20 to 30 minutes. After three shocks, adrenaline and advanced care from the crew, his heart finally began beating again. Dr Hancock and paramedic Gaynor Wareham continued treating Jamie for a further two hours until he was stable enough to travel to Lincoln Hospital.

Jenny said: “Jamie had always been active and fit with no health issues. It was out of the blue and a complete shock.”

As Jamie was treated, his family were able to be by his side quickly because they lived nearby. Jenny also contacted her local church group to ask them to pray for him, and within minutes the church had organised 24/7 prayer. She said the love and support helped her through an incredibly difficult time.

Jamie’s recovery in hospital

Jamie spent three days in an induced coma in intensive care. When doctors began bringing him back to consciousness, Jenny did not know what to expect. There were no guarantees that Jamie would be able to walk, talk or remember his loved ones because of the length of time he had been without a heartbeat.

Usually, it can take time for a patient to wake from a coma, but Jamie’s story was different. Within minutes, he was sitting up in bed, pulling out tubes and trying to head for the door.

Jamie said: “When I woke up, my memory was absolutely shot. I was texting my father gibberish and I told Jenny that the hospital was making glitter in one of the little rooms near me.”

Jenny said: “It was like 50 First Dates for me. Jamie continuously asked, ‘Why am I here?’ and then would forget the answer seconds later.”

She added: “His recovery was nothing short of miraculous. The doctors said, with the numbers of how long he was unconscious for, he shouldn’t be here.”

Determined to recover

After three days in intensive care, Jamie spent a further two weeks on the cardiac ward while teams carried out tests to understand what had caused the cardiac arrest. Despite extensive investigations, doctors have not yet identified why it happened.

Jamie was determined to get moving again. On his first day on the ward, one of the nurses moved her station outside his door to make sure he did not try to leave. Jenny said: “Jamie didn’t tell me until he got home that he would leave the hospital and walk around the arboretum and visit the shops.”

Life after cardiac arrest

Jamie is now doing well and continues to have regular checks to make sure his body is recovering as it should. Everything is looking positive.

Reflecting on the care he received, Jamie said: “Without the geniuses that helped, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Jenny said the air ambulance crew were calm, compassionate and caring throughout the emergency, explaining what was happening as they worked to save Jamie’s life.

Jamie’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of recognising a cardiac arrest quickly, starting CPR immediately and accessing a defibrillator as soon as possible. Early chest compressions can help keep blood flowing to vital organs while emergency help is on the way.

For Jamie, the quick actions of Sam, followed by the specialist care of the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance crew and hospital teams, made all the difference.