'We all knew he was gone': Motel worker tells of Turret Rd tragedy

Turret Rd. Photo / File

A Tauranga motel worker has told of how a group of strangers came together to desperately try to save the life of a man who suffered a suspected heart attacked on Turret Rd last night. Natasha Anderson helps her parents run Silver Birch Holiday Park and Motel, located next to Hairini Bridge. She had been working about 5.30pm when a man rushed into reception, asking for the address so he could call an ambulance.

Anderson said she had noticed traffic backed up but thought it was because someone had broken down.

Instead, a man believed to have been in his sixties had been driving from Ōpōtiki to Auckland when his car came to a stop in the middle of the road. The man had been travelling with his two grandsons, aged about 14 and 20, Anderson said.

The car was pushed out of the way of traffic on to the motel's driveway.

Anderson said about 10 bystanders stepped in to help care for the man. Some took turns to perform CPR before the ambulance arrived about 15 minutes later.

Ambulance staff attempted to resuscitate the man for 45 minutes but it was apparent the man would not make it, she said.

"We all knew he was gone."

Anderson said the man's "distraught" grandsons mostly stood dumbstruck during the whole ordeal, aside from calling the family to notify them of the tragedy.

She said their aunt arrived while they waited for their father to come from Whakatāne.

A St John ambulance media spokeswoman said two ambulances were sent to the event but could not comment further as the matter was being dealt with by the police.

Police would not comment further this morning.