A “gym junkie” who suffered a cardiac arrest has been reunited with the stranger that saved his life.
John Rawlins, a self-confessed gym addict, was found unconscious on the floor of his David Lloyd gym in Cardiff in December 2020.
One of the first people to reach the 64-year-old was fitness instructor Kyle Baggett, whose quick thinking saved his life, Wales Online reported .
Kyle, 26, grabbed a defibrillator whilst a colleague carried out CPR.
John, a recently retired sports lecturer said he hadn’t been aware of any underlying health issues before the near-fatal event took place.
Recalling the incident, Kyle said: "It was just a normal Thursday at work. I was leading a fitness class like any other day when a member of the gym ran in to say there's an emergency on the gym floor.
"I quickly rushed out to see John lying on the floor with some other gym members around him. I could tell straight away it was a serious situation."
John Rawlins, from Machen, Caerphilly, was experiencing a cardiac arrest.
Kyle added: "We had to act quickly because we knew his only chance of survival was in our hands. One of the members started performing CPR while I rushed to get the defibrillator.
"We rang the emergency services immediately who then talked us through the whole process.
“I'm CPR trained but when you're in the moment, it's easy to forget some things, and the ambulance service was brilliant – very calm, clear, and precise, explaining exactly what we had to do.
"My mind was racing. In that situation, I had tunnel vision and I was fixed totally in the moment. I just wanted to save his life."
John was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he was treated by the medical team.
He said: "I was a relatively fit man. I enjoyed cycling and going on long walks, and I was known to be a bit of a 'gym junkie'.
"The morning of the event, I headed to the gym feeling fit and well, then next thing I know I’m waking up in hospital in a trance like state six weeks later.
“I have no recollection of the event. I can't imagine what it was like for Kyle. His fast action with the defibrillator restarted my heart which allowed me to make it to hospital. Those vital first actions made all the difference.
"Eighteen months have passed and really, I've made an excellent recovery. I'm now able to enjoy life with my wife, Anne. We love to walk, and we're able to watch our granddaughters grow up which is really special. Life is good."
Both Kyle and John are now urging others to learn vital CPR skills.
John continued: "You never know what's around the corner. If you're ever in a situation where you need to act quickly and perform CPR, you've got nothing to lose. If Kyle hadn't acted quickly and taken action that day, I certainly would have died."
Kyle said: "It's such a relief to see John doing so well. We keep in contact regularly now and have become friends. A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
“Around 80% of them happen within the home, to your loved ones, and your actions could be the difference between life and death. Even if you learn the skill just once, it can set you up to save someone's life."
