LIFESAVER "OVERWHELMED" BY BORO HERO AWARD

A MIDDLESBROUGH Bus Station security guard who saved the life of a commuter three times in his first week in the job is the town's latest Boro Hero.

On-duty security guard Bryan Stokell was first on the scene when a worried member of the public alerted security staff that a man had collapsed on the floor.

Bryan's colleague Kenny Coyle was also at the scene and helped to keep onlookers calm and called an ambulance, and Street Warden Terry Clarke helped with compressions while Bryan got a defibrillator from the office.

"I could see he was in a bad way and totally unresponsive. I checked for a pulse but it was very weak, and then it disappeared," said Bryan, describing the incident previously.

He continued: "I started with the chest compressions but his eyes were already rolling back in his head and he had turned blue, I knew it wasn't good.

"I kept on with the chest compressions and then I heard a breath, but it stopped again. I did more compressions and I heard a breath again but he was very weak and he slipped away again.

"He started breathing again for the third time with the help of the defibrillator and then the paramedics arrived and took over.

"I didn't have a clue what had happened to him after that. I was in total shock to be honest. I rang the hospital later that day and they told me he had made it, I was so relived, it was a good feeling. They said I had saved his life."

Andrew Watson, the gentleman who had collapsed, had suffered three cardiac arrests, a heart attack and a stroke.

The Great North East Air Ambulance response team were quick to congratulate Bryan in a letter to the Bus Station Supervisor which read: "Without Bryan's actions it is likely that this episode would have had a very different outcome, and the gentleman would likely have died."

Bryan has now been recognised as a Boro Hero by Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston - with the lifesaver saying he was "overwhelmed" by the award.

Mr Preston said: "Bryan's quick thinking and actions have undoubtedly saved Mr Watson's life - nothing could be more heroic than that.

"This award is just a small way of us all to say thank you. Bryan and everyone else who helped that day deserve a huge round of applause."

ENDS

Press Notice 6477. 06/05/21

Issued by Andrew Pain, Senior Communications Officer on 01642 729503.

www.middlesbrough.gov.uk

Follow Middlesbrough Council on Twitter: @MbroCouncil

NOTES TO EDITORS

Picture captions

Pn6477 Boro Hero Bryan Stokell Pic 1 – Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston (L) presents a Boro Hero award to Bryan Stokell (R).

Pn6477 Boro Hero Bryan Stokell Pic 2 – Bryan Stokell with his Boro Hero award.