Man reunited with paramedics who helped save his life after cardiac arrest

A man has been reunited with the London Ambulance paramedics who saved his life after he had a cardiac arrest.

Val Dyadyuk, aged 75, was visiting his son in north London when he stopped breathing early one morning in May.

Nina, Val’s wife Nina called for her son when she could not rouse her husband and her son Oleg Khomenko immediately dialled 999.

'I had incredible instructions from the call handler'

Call handler Nyota Ndeke sent an ambulance to the home and began instructing Oleg Khomenko on how to give life-saving chest compressions.

He said: “I remember so clearly the help on the phone, I had incredible instructions from the call handler, clear and calming and reassuring.

“She guided me on the strength of the chest compressions and counting with me when I was getting tired.”

An ambulance crew and two paramedics in fast response cars were sent to the home, with the crews managing to resuscitate Mr Dyadyuk before taking him to a hospital with a specialist heart unit. He spent five weeks in hospital.

Mr Dyadyuk is now fully recovered and has met the ambulance crews who treated him that morning back in May, so he could thank them in person.

His son added: “We could not have had my Dad back without the wonderful ambulance people that came to save him for us.

“They were incredibly professional, helpful, understanding and most of all human in a time that was so difficult for myself and my family. We are forever grateful.”

The chances of someone surviving a cardiac arrest at home are pretty low – around one in 10. This was Mr Dyadyuk’s second cardiac arrest and survival rates of someone who has had two cardiac arrests are very low.

The ambulance crews credit Oleg Khomenko with helping his dad beat the odds.

'Meeting Val made me proud'

Paramedic Kate Gaustad said: “The fact that he woke up to his mum screaming and leapt into action with such effective chest compressions meant he saved his dad’s life.

“We couldn’t have done our job without Oleg’s actions. Meeting Val made me proud, to know his family have him back, to see him walking, talking, living life – he represents what the ambulance service is there for.”

Paramedic Pilar Gilardi added: “Val looked so well and so happy, it meant so much to meet him and his family.

“Not many people survive a cardiac arrest and it can only happen if someone starts chest compressions while waiting for an ambulance.”

Ambulance crews rarely get to meet their patients again so Andy Snowball, emergency medical technician, found it “very rewarding to meet Val and his family after him making such a great recovery”.

Paramedic Ben Holyroyd hopes their story will inspire others to learn life-saving skills.

Val and Nina Dyadyuk are originally from Ukraine but now live in Australia, where they have since returned.

Paramedics at London Ambulance Service offer courses in life-saving skills.