Moments before boarding a flight, Helen Warren’s holiday came to an abrupt halt when she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at London Gatwick.
Moments before boarding a flight, Helen Warren’s holiday came to an abrupt halt when she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at London Gatwick.
Only a few months on, Helen and her husband Peter revisited London Gatwick to reunite with the first responders who saved her life.
On Tuesday, 9 September 2025, Helen was waiting at the departure gate, ready to begin her trip, when she suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. The Passenger Operations team nearby immediately began CPR and raised the alarm as emergency help rushed to the scene.
London Gatwick based Paramedic, John Waghorn, arrived within a few minutes closely followed by colleagues from the airports Fire and Rescue team.
After administering three life-saving shocks with a defibrillator, the team managed to resuscitate Helen on scene before taking her to St George’s Hospital in London.
Earlier this month, Helen was able to meet some of the people involved in saving her life, including SECAmb Paramedics John Waghorn and Katie Cross, members of London Gatwick Fire and Rescue, and airport passenger operations staff.
John said: “When I arrived on scene, Helen was already being given CPR and had already received two shocks with a defibrillator from airport staff which made a huge difference. Seeing Helen now, talking and smiling, really reminds you why those first few minutes matter so much and the importance of the ‘chain of survival’.”
Katie added: “You don’t often get to meet patients again after something like this, so the reunion was incredibly special. It was lovely to see Helen and how she is recovering so well.”
Helen said: “I don’t remember anything from that day, but I know I wouldn’t be here without them. Being able to meet the people who saved my life is something I’ll never forget — it’s overwhelming, but in the best possible way.”
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