TRUE LIFE
Thank God I popped out for a pint that day
Michelle D’arcy, 43, Stevenage
My partner Kenny handed me a pint of beer and sat opposite me in the pub.
‘Cheers, love,’ he grinned. I didn’t often get the chance to enjoy a lazy lunch date with Kenny, then 47.
But it was April 2023, and I’d been feeling lost lately.
I didn’t come from a very close-knit family, and never had kids, focusing more on work over the years.
Sometimes I felt my life was a bit pointless.
I’d been with Kenny for a year-and-a-half, and he knew how to cheer me up. So, with me having a few days off work as a school lollipop lady, he’d taken me to our local, Our Mutual Friend.
Only, lifting the cold glass to my lips, I heard an almighty screech. ‘What was that?’ I cried, peering out the window.
Outside, a car had crashed into three parked cars along the road.
Seconds later, the barmaid burst through the pub door.
‘Does anyone know first aid?’ she shouted. ‘The driver’s unconscious!’ The pub went silent.
‘I do!’ I cried, leaping to my feet.
I’d done a basic firstaid course as part of my lollipop-lady training.
Sure, I was no doctor, but someone had to help.
‘What are you doing?’ hissed Kenny. ‘You can’t, you’ve had a drink.’
‘If no one else can, I have to try,’ I replied, kicking off my sliders and running outside barefoot.
Inside the car I saw a lady slumped at the wheel. She was grey and didn’t look to be breathing.
Sure, I was no doctor, but someone had to help
I’m too late, I worried. But everything from my course came rushing back.
Even if you think someone has passed away, keep trying until an ambulance arrives. Somebody else was on the phone to 999.
So I got into the passenger seat of the poor lady’s Seat Ibiza.
Reached over and felt for her collar bone, then leant her back against her seat.
Next I started to push down on her chest in a steady rhythm.
It was so much harder than it’d been on the dummy in training.
The poor lady’s ribs cracked under the pressure of my palms.
‘I’m sorry!’ I uttered. Too scared to move her from the car in case I did more damage, I leant over and gave her mouth-to-mouth.
Suddenly she gave a huge intake of breath.
She’s alive! I thought. Keep going, Michelle.
‘The ambulance is on its way,’ I heard Kenny say. It was exhausting, my arms trembling as I pushed down on her chest, stopping every so often to give mouth-to-mouth.
‘Stay with me!’ I told the lady, terrified I wouldn’t be able to carry on.
Finally, after seven minutes, an ambulance screamed up.
Two paramedics
