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Paramedic Glen explains how this was made challenging by Joe’s location – he was halfway through the Wellington Marathon, on a twisting coastal road. About 4,300 people were pounding the pavements in wet and cold conditions.

Leanne and Glen decided the quickest way to get to Joe was to drive along the marathon course. Driving carefully and being mindful of runners, their ambulance was the first to arrive.

Joe was being cared for by some runners and bystanders. In an incredible twist of fate, this included a paramedic who was running the half marathon, and a midwife. Together, this group of runners and bystanders administered CPR and used a nearby AED.

Paramedic Glen picks up the story. He recalls that thanks to the group’s interventions, by the time he and Leanne arrived, Joe “had started to breathe and his heart had started to beat”.

“Because an AED and CPR were used so quickly, Joe came around really quickly, which meant he had a really good prognosis and the best chance of a positive outcome,” Glen says.

Providing care in such a busy and public setting was made easier as most runners “allowed us space”, Leanne recalls. Leanne laughingly says that she thinks because Joe was in the faster running group, they didn’t have too many runners or walkers nearby to distract them from their life-saving work.

“It’s so awesome that Joe’s recovered, the last thing we heard was he was going to the Intensive Care Unit. We don’t always know what happens with our patients,” Leanne says.

A birthday with a difference

The Wellington Marathon coincided with Joe’s 80^th birthday and they’d planned a party in the afternoon for the whole family to celebrate.

Although those plans were sadly cancelled, Leanne reflects that “it was so lucky that all his family was there to support him. Joe’s wife and all his family members were so helpful and respectful which made our job easier.”

Joe’s wife Rachel remembers the shock she felt when she received the call from Leanne – she and Joe’s sister Lin raced to Wellington Hospital Emergency Department. Rachel explains: “It was such a huge shock to learn from the emergency doctor of Joe’s sudden cardiac arrest, CPR and defib. I recall hearing ‘No brain damage…’”

As if treating a SCA in a very public setting on a patient’s 80^th birthday isn’t unique enough, one other thing stands out for Leanne.

“When he came to, I asked Joe if he knew what happened. He said, ‘I didn’t run fast enough!’”

“I thought that was a really cool thing to say,” Leanne laughs.

Getting back on his feet

Joe recalls little of the incident that almost ended his life. He vaguely remembers “hearing traffic noise and a siren, presumably when I was in the ambulance, before really realising I was still alive in the Wellington Hospital Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit”. 

Joe has undergone surgery to have an implantable cardiac device (ICD) and a stent implanted. The ICD checks Joe’s heartbeat all the time. If it’s too slow, it can correct it. If his heart is in danger of stopping, the ICD can deliver an electric shock to help it return to a natural rhythm. A stent is a tiny tube that helps keep a major vessel that supplies blood into Joe’s heart from narrowing or closing.

Joe’s in good familial company with his ICD – his father-in-law was the first Kiwi to receive a pacemaker in Aotearoa by heart surgeon Sir Brian Barratt-Boyes in the 1960s!

Weeks on from his surgery, Joe says that pain from his rib fractures are “most limiting” but “all else is absolutely fine”.

Reflecting on his experience, Joe believes that “the medical care teams, from paramedics to chest surgeons to cardiologists to cardio-catheter team to nurses to local GP have been outstanding. We have been so blessed in many ways.”

He adds that he “cherishes the memories of the unconditional love one can feel from the nurses. Best remembered from lying in the dim-lit ward at 3am and realising the smiling night nurse is holding my hand while taking vital measurements.”

“It still brings a tearful smile to my face.”

Joe’s wife Rachel adds, “All the staff were amazing. As a family we all feel so much appreciation and thankfulness for all the care and support Joe received from so many who contributed to saving his life.”

‘The chain of survival’

Joe’s story illustrates how healthcare professionals, even when not on shift, are always ‘on’ and ready to jump into action, whenever needed.

Immediate CPR can be given by anyone trained in this life-saving skill; in Joe’s case it was from a paramedic and a midwife.

The combination of the team of bystanders recognising that Joe was experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest, prompt calling of 111, CPR and defibrillation without delay, fast ambulance arrival, and further advanced care from paramedics is known as ‘the chain of survival’.

For Joe, the chain was unbroken, giving him the best chance of survival.

A long legacy of care

Joe was brought up in Johnsonville, Wellington and, growing up, “recalls hearing ambulance sirens passing along the roads”.

Now, these sirens have special meaning to Joe: “Now on hearing such alarms, I stop and revere the Wellington Free Ambulance service we have in the capital. This service deserves all our support.”

In sharing his story, Joe asks “how can I express enough gratitude to Wellington Free Ambulance other than to publicly say thank you to this fantastic, dedicated team at Wellington Free, from the bottom and top of my heart?”

“I’m here to do another birthday run thanks to Wellington Free.”

Saving a life is a true team effort, and we’re so glad Joe is here today to share his story thanks to the commitment, courage and dedication of bystanders and professionals. We have no doubt he’ll smash the 81-year-old record at the 2025 Wellington Marathon!

You can help us save more lives like Joe's by donating.

*Wellington Free Ambulance Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Report 2022 – 2023.