An emotional reunion took place as a Leicester family met the East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) crew who had saved their father’s life after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at work the previous year.
Khalid Mahomed, 62, collapsed while on his postman delivery round on 13 September 2024. He had left home at 5am that morning and had been looking forward to celebrating his eldest grandson’s birthday later that day.
Picture credit: EMAS
After collecting mail from the depot, Mr Mahomed began his route when he noticed a broken-down car on a busy dual carriageway. He stopped to help, but while moving the vehicle he suddenly collapsed after suffering a heart attack that led to a cardiac arrest.
Mr Mahomed had no memory of the incident, but his family recalled clearly the moment they received the devastating news.
His daughter, Humera, said her father’s colleague had quickly raised the alarm and that members of the public had immediately called 999.
“At first, we thought it was a hoax – we couldn’t believe what we were hearing,” she said. “When I called my dad’s phone and his manager answered, it confirmed everything.”
Bystanders began CPR straight away, giving Mr Mahomed the best possible chance of survival. EMAS clinicians Daniel Hill, Bethany Robinson, Jessica Bingley, Mark Hill and Dr Matt Woods from the East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme arrived quickly and took over life-saving treatment.
The crew continued CPR and used a defibrillator to restart Mr Mahomed’s heart. After two shocks, his heart began beating again and he was rushed to Leicester Glenfield Hospital, where he was admitted to intensive care, placed on a ventilator and sedated.
When he later woke, he had no recollection of collapsing.
“The last thing I remember is loading the mail into my van and driving out the gate,” Mr Mahomed said. “The next thing I knew, I was in hospital with everyone explaining what had happened. It was a shock because I felt well that day.”
Doctors later advised that he would need an internal defibrillator to help regulate his heart rhythm and reduce the risk of another cardiac arrest.
A year after the incident, Mr Mahomed and his family were finally able to meet the ambulance crew who had saved his life. He said the meeting had been something he and his wife had hoped for since the day of his cardiac arrest.
“That day changed my life completely,” he said. “Recovery was difficult, but my family were an incredible support. Meeting the crew felt like the missing piece of the puzzle. Without them, I would not be here today.”
He also paid tribute to the members of the public who had stepped in to help.
“I would still love to meet them and say thank you,” he said. “Their CPR made the difference.”
Mr Mahomed’s family echoed those sentiments, praising both the bystanders and the ambulance crew for their swift actions.
“We cannot thank the ambulance crew enough,” the family said. “Their quick action and expertise saved dad’s life. CPR truly made the difference between life and death.”
Student Technician Jessica Bingley, who attended the incident, said it had been a privilege to meet Mr Mahomed again.
“This is why we do this job,” she said. “Seeing him here today was incredibly emotional and showed just how important early CPR and teamwork are.”
East Midlands Ambulance Service said fewer than one in ten people in the UK survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In 2024, EMAS attended 7,553 such incidents across the East Midlands, with more than half witnessed by bystanders. Immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival, highlighting the vital role the public plays when every second counts.
