A FUNERAL director who had a massive heart attack and went into cardiac arrest has been reunited with his lifesavers.
David Cogan met some of the police officers and the paramedic who performed CPR for almost an hour to save him.
David, 52, collapsed on New Year's Day on a track between Welton Waters and the Humber Estuary.
David, his colleague Alf Davie and the team of police officers and ambulance crew had been called to the water's edge to recover the body of a man when the North Ferriby resident collapsed on the floor.
After speaking to us about his ordeal earlier this month, the Mail arranged for David to be reunited with some of the people who helped save him.
"It is overwhelming that I have met them," said David. "I'm really speechless.
"To think a group of people I had never met saved my life is quite emotional.
"But these aren't the only people who helped. When you think of the people in the Sea King helicopter who took me to hospital, all the doctors and nurses at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, even the cleaners who help keep the wards clean and safe – between 60 and 80 people, maybe even more, helped save me."
On Wednesday afternoon, David, his son Ben and Alf met paramedic John Dunwell and some of the police officers who were there on the night, including PC Alistair Young, PC Gillian Williams, Detective Inspector Paul Kirby and Inspector Phil North.
Det Insp Paul Kirby was walking alongside David when he collapsed.
The officer said: "He took a deep breath and then went straight down.
"I had already slipped, because it was very muddy and dark that night, so I thought he had done the same.
"But when I saw the expression on his face, I realised something else was going on.
"I was shocked and thought 'what is going on?' but the paramedic had run over within a few seconds."
One of the officers sat on the floor supporting David's head while others started CPR.
Paramedic John ran back to his ambulance to retrieve the drugs and equipment he needed.
John said: "The police officers did a fantastic job of CPR.
"Them doing that meant I could start incubating him, get a cannula into him and give him the drugs he needed. I also gave him two or three shocks.
"I didn't think he was going to make it until I saw the quality of the CPR the police officers were doing – they played a massive part in saving him.
"We were in a remote place, it was dark and cold, but they kept going until the helicopter arrived.
"Then his heart started again in the helicopter as it was flying to Hull Royal Infirmary."
All the police officers and John said it was great to see David doing so well, three-and- a-half months after his ordeal.
John said: "I look at him and think, given all the circumstances, he really shouldn't be here. But he is. It is great to see him doing so well."
