It’s a golf story Bruce Roberts will tell for the rest of his life.
And he’s fortunate to have that life thanks to his golf story.
The Vernon man was playing Predator Ridge in the spring when he suffered a heart attack. Without warning. No shooting pains down the arm. No shortness of breath. He had hit his third shot on the par-5 ninth hole on The Ridge track when he fell to the ground unconscious.
Fortunately for Roberts, one of the men in his foursome that morning was retired RCMP member Stan Brooks, who had cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training as a 35-year member of the force. Brooks immediately began performing CPR on Roberts, and did so for about 20 minutes.
He was relieved by Predator landscape manager Beau Lucas, a volunteer firefighter who has Level 3 CPR training. Lucas took over until a pair of paramedics arrived and revived Roberts after four shocks with an automatic external defibrillator (AED). Roberts was stabilized and transported to Vernon Jubilee Hospital, where he made a complete recovery.
Roberts was on hand Friday as Brooks and Lucas were presented with Vital Link Awards by the B.C. Emergency Health Services for their actions.
But if Brooks and Lucas didn’t have CPR training, Roberts would not be alive to share his story.
The three men, the paramedics that helped and the ambulance service, to a person, said Friday it’s vital to have CPR training, as well as the skill of operating an AED.
Vernon’s Silver Star Rotary Club will host its annual Project Save A Life day in February from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s an event that offers free CPR training in 90 minutes or less. It’s a skill that can save a life.
Ask Bruce Roberts.
