A hero Scots bus driver saved a passenger's life by performing CPR after he suffered cardiac arrest on board.
First bus driver William, 59, immediately stopped his bus and raced to passenger John McCann's aid after being alerted to the incident.
John, 62, said he had been given a 'second chance at life' after he fell ill on the 57 route travelling from Pollokshaws to Glasgow in April last year.
Thanks to driver William's quick actions, John has gone on to make a full recovery and the pair had an emotional reunion on Wednesday afternoon.
Recalling that day, William said: "My first thought was ‘oh my god’. Then my instinct just kicked in.
"At first he [John] seemed okay, he was sitting up and could still talk. I saw a passenger with a phone and asked her to phone an ambulance whilst I phoned the depot to alert them of the incident.
"I kept speaking to John, trying to reassure him that he would be ok, but I could tell something was wrong. He was visibly in pain, moving in his chair, struggling to speak and breathe and was quickly getting worse.
"I got him into the recovery position, at which point he was no longer speaking and his lips were turning blue. I started CPR. The whole time I was trying to stay calm and focus on keeping him alive."
As the other passenger relayed messages from the ambulance call handler to William, he remained calm and performed life-saving CPR for a full 20 minutes, ensuring John remained alive until paramedics arrived on the scene.
On the ambulance’s arrival, William was asked to continue chest compressions for a further 15 minutes, whilst paramedics set up a defibrillator to support John and take him to hospital.
William, who was previously a lifeguard, said: "I’ve had to perform CPR and resuscitation once in my previous job, but never on any of my buses.
"My prior experience helped me to not panic and know how to react in a calm way. I just knew it was my responsibility to save this man. I assessed the situation and knew what to do.
"It was a surreal situation, but I did what was needed. With the help of the passenger with the phone, and the call handler, it was a real team effort and we helped to save John’s life."
John, from Glasgow's west end, lives an active lifestyle.
He had been travelling to meet friends for a game of tennis, had jogged to the bus stop with plans to go a cycle later that evening.
He told how he couldn't remember beyond stepping onto the bus and feeling slightly dizzy before waking up three days later from a coma in ICU at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
He found out what happened on his bus journey after speaking to family and medical staff.
He said: "I was astonished. It actually took more than a week for it to properly sink in, but when it did, I just felt so relieved that I had been given a second chance.
"I felt so lucky. If this had happened to me when I was running or on my way to pick up my bike later that day, I would have been alone. I was incredibly lucky to have been in a public place, with someone who could respond knowingly."
Following the incident John wanted to reach out to the driver to thank him for saving him and giving him another chance at life.
John delivered a thank you card to William which included a heartfelt message and gift as a token of gratitude.
"I had to express my gratitude to let him know just how thankful I was to have been on his bus," he said.
"I feel so grateful, and I’m still amazed that someone would do what William did for a complete stranger."
William, who has worked for First Bus for 11 years, has since been commended by the ambulance service and by the bus service for his efforts in the incident.
When he received the card and learned that John had survived he decided to reach out to him, as the pair had an emotional reunion call.
Since the incident, John has had a cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted, a device able to perform cardioversion, defibrillation and pacing of the heart and can correct most life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.
Suffering from a condition called Atrial fibrillation, which can cause irregular and rapid heart rhythm and is quite common in older males, John said this is the first time he’s had a real health scare related to the health issue that may have caused his cardiac arrest.
However, he is now back to full health following a speedy recovery and he said: “I’m back to living my active lifestyle. I love cycling and I’ve done a lot of it since my cardiac arrest – I even cycled 150 miles in three days with some of my friends.
"I’m back playing tennis two to three times a week and I go to regular spin classes. I’m just making the most of life. What happened has really made me realise life is short, you don’t know what’s around the corner.
"I’m so grateful to still be here to see my family progress. My daughter is studying to be a doctor and my son has just finished an apprenticeship with a financial services company – I’m so thrilled to be living my life, spending time with my family and seeing them live theirs."
