A photographer who had a heart attack last month has pledged to raise money for the “amazing” nurses who saved his life.
Ryan Murrant, 43, from Bishopbriggs in Glasgow, has pledged to donate £150 from every wedding booking made by the end of September to the team at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Heart Health.
Ryan, who suddenly suffered from horrible chest pains during the Euro 2020 tournament, was admitted to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary before being transferred to the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, where he had a stent fitted in his artery.
The photographer said the heart attack was a huge shock, especially because he was so young.
But he told Glasgow Times: “I was really impressed with the service, especially with the world as it is right now and the challenges that the NHS faces. The staff were unbelievable.
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“The Euros were on when it happened and one nurse said to me, ‘We’re s**** at football, but we’re world class at heart disease’.
“The care was amazing and they really took their time looking after me."
Speaking to The Mirror, he explained he'd been at the park with his partner Sinead walking his dog Coco before coming home and watching the Croatia v Netherlands game on TV.
"It's not a very exciting story," he joked, describing how he started to feel clammy while sitting down. He took himself up to bed, which is when he felt crippling pain from pressure in his upper body.
Knowing exactly what to do, Sinead called an ambulance.
Ryan also marvelled at the attention he received from staff even while they were in the grips of the Covid pandemic - and he’s acutely aware of the pressure on the NHS at the moment.
Sinead is a midwife, which has spurred him on to “pay something back” to the staff.
Ryan said: “You can always send a card, flowers or chocolates, but I want to do something using my skills and my industry to raise some money.”
He added he hoped the staff could buy something they really needed with the money - or even go on a much-needed night out.
Since raising the profile of his campaign online, celebrities like Gail Porter and former Premier League footballer Paul Dickov have supported his cause. Ryan says some people have even agreed to match the donations he gives.
Ryan, who owns photography company Pretty Flamingo Weddings, recently moved back to Glasgow to set up his business.
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He said: “I’m still trying to establish myself here and I always think it’s better to give back before you take. I just want to help those people that have helped me.”
Now, Ryan is getting back to normal and feels physically fantastic.
He told The Mirror: "My body is getting the oxygen it needs now so I feel really good physically, but the mental side effects have been difficult to deal with.
"I just want to turn what happened to me into something positive and give back."
