Simon Soulsby reunited with the Northland Rescue Helicopter team to thank them for their service. From left pilot Johs Van Pierce, Mia, 10, Leonardo,8, Soulsby, St. John critical care paramedic Jared Sharples and intensive care paramedic Leah Baker. photo/ Michael Cunningham.
Simon Soulsby reunited with the Northland Rescue Helicopter team to thank them for their service. From left pilot Johs Van Pierce, Mia, 10, Leonardo,8, Soulsby, St. John critical care paramedic Jared Sharples and intensive care paramedic Leah Baker. photo/ Michael Cunningham.
An Auckland man has expressed a heartfelt thanks to the Northland rescuers who went to his aid after he suffered a cardiac arrest while out for a morning surf.
Simon Soulsby was enjoying a surf at Mangawhai Heads back in December 2020 when he began to feel dizzy and experience chest pains.
“It just felt terrible. It felt like I was overwhelmed with a sense of impending doom,” he said.
His friend Mark braved the waves to bring him ashore where a lifeguard and Hato Hone St John paramedics made the call to immediately airlift him to North Shore Hospital in Auckland.
Soulsby confessed at one point he felt he was going to die.
“And then I heard the sound of the chopper. Being an ex-Air Force guy I have had the privilege to hear many a Rotar blade in my time. But this was different.
Simon Soulsby says he's grateful to be alive. Photo / Michael Cunningham
“When I heard it coming, I felt a sense of relief. That everything was going to be all right,” he said.
For the first time since the event, Soulsby met up with his rescuers, Hato Hone St John intensive care paramedic Leah Baker, critical care paramedic Jared Sharples and pilot Johs Van Pierce, at the Northland Rescue Helicopter base in Kensington on Tuesday.
He appeared emotional when thanking the people who helped save his life.
“I was really looking forward to this day. To finally meet them is like having closure. And no amount of thanks or words can describe how grateful I am to them for saving my life.”
Baker, who took the lead during the rescue, said their first impression when they saw Soulsby was that he looked quite pale and grey.
“He was having an SVT which is a kind of abnormally fast heart rhythm. It means that there is not enough blood going into his body and brain. So, we knew this was serious and needed to be acted on.”
The paramedics administered a dose of ketamine to make him feel sleepy and used a defibrillator to help restore a normal heartbeat.
Simon Soulsby took his kids along to introduce them to his rescuers. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Baker said while callouts for people experiencing heart problems were quite common, almost all of the patients attended to were elderly - not as young as Soulsby, who was in his 40s at the time.
She and Sharples felt “super special” when Soulsby arranged to meet up with them.
“It’s not common for people to take their time out and meet in person to thank us. The only other I can think of is a man we rescued when he fell off a boat.
“And last year when our pilot and I helped deliver a baby in the aircraft for a mother who had later come to us to introduce her kid,” Baker said.
Soulsby said he hadn’t given up surfing but took great care not to overdo it when he hit the water.
“An important message for all surfers would be to never surf alone and always have a mate with you. My experience has made me appreciate my life. And I’m glad to be alive,” he said.
Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Northern Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.
