THE wife of a man who collapsed in a York pub has thanked those who rushed to save his life.

As reported in The Press on Friday, Dennis Darcy was meeting his family in The Blacksmiths Arms, Naburn, on Sunday when he suffered a cardiac arrest.

His heart stopped but efforts by pub staff, a passing parish councillor and a former nurse who happened to be a customer, meant he was brought back from the dead three times before paramedics took over.

Jill Darcy, Dennis’ wife, said he was now in Hull’s Castle Hill Hospital in good spirits, and found out late on Friday that doctors were able to fit stents, and Dennis did not require a heart bypass.

She said Sunday’s cardiac arrest was “very much out of the blue”, but the quick actions of everyone in the pub had saved Dennis' life.

Jill said: “The coincidences were just ridiculous, everyone was there, it’s just incredible. It was an amazing set of circumstances.

“I remember screaming ‘he’s not breathing’, then Tony - the pub landlord - was there and, I’ll be honest, the rest was a bit of a blur. I think I did some compressions, then Tony took over and I went to ring Dennis’ daughter.”

Dennis was put into an induced coma by paramedics before being taken to hospital.

He was brought out of his coma at about midday the following day, and Jill said she was amazed by how well he seemed.

She said: “When they brought him round he was fabulous.

“He knew where he was, knew who we were and the doctors were just amazed that he’d suffered no brain damage because everyone jumped in so quickly. He’s joking and laughing. He was joking with the doctor in the ICU that he’s just sorry he missed his carvery.”

Jill has been in touch with staff at the pub to thank them, but hasn't been able to trace a former nurse who helped.

She said: “We can never thank them enough, they were just amazing and so quick and took control of it, they were just fabulous. We would really love to trace that lady. I just want to say the family would love to meet her and thank her personally if she’s willing."

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