Quick-thinking Jenna saved Mick’s life during cardiac arrest
A MAN who was saved by his partner’s 17-year-old daughter when she administered CPR on him after he went into cardiac arrest is now raising awareness of the importance of the life-saving training.
On Saturday, July 3 this year Mick Reynolds went into cardiac arrest in the early hours of the morning and was saved by his partner’s daughter, Jenna Sullivan, after her quick-thinking actions and CPR training kicked in.
Jenna Sullivan, her mother Annie and her partner Mick, who live in Kingswood have now organised for the Red Cross to come to Kingswood Community Centre to provide CPR training for all ages and are sharing their personal story to encourage others to get the training.
Speaking about the distressing time back in July, Mick says that it is difficult to recall the turn of events and days leading up to the night it happened, which is common when someone has suffered a cardiac arrest.
“I am glad to be here speaking with you today because I shouldn’t really be,” said Mick.
“I was in my own apartment in Rathfarnham [where Mick lived until the night he suffered the cardiac arrest] at the time, and at 1am that night I phoned Annie to say I wasn’t feeling right, and I didn’t know what was wrong with me and I didn’t want to stay on my own that night, so I ended up driving to Kingswood to Annie’s house.
“I got to Annie’s at around half one that morning and apparently at around half three all hell broke loose.”
Speaking about the night from her point of view, Jenna says that she was asleep in bed when she was awoken by a harrowing noise.
“I was in bed at the time when Mick came over and then everything kicked off around half three in the morning,” said Jenna.
“I woke up to this horrible noise, the only way I can describe it is like snoring but about ten times louder. I thought someone was breaking in with a chainsaw – that’s how loud the noise was.
“When I went into the room, mam was trying to wake Mick up but she couldn’t, and I knew straight away that something wasn’t right.”
Despite the terrifying situation she was faced with, Jenna remained calm and rang the paramedics and decided to start performing life-saving CPR on Mick. Jenna explains that she learned CPR with the Red Cross when she was in Foróige five years ago and never thought she would ever have to use the training.
“I started doing CPR on the bed because it was just an initial instinct,” explained Jenna.
“The paramedics on the phone told me to put him on the ground for a flat surface and the paramedics talked me through CPR while they were on their way.
“I was on the phone for eleven minutes but that eleven minutes felt like eleven hours – it was never ending.
“I am the type of person that goes into panic mode but in the moment, I didn’t really think of anything else and basically went into fight or flight mode. When he left in the ambulance it all kind of hit me then. Something clicked and I knew it was a life-or-death situation.
“It is so important that everyone has this training, you never know when you are going to need it and it could save somebody’s life.”
The three CPR training classes which were organised by Jenna, Annie and Mick which will take place with the Red Cross at the beginning of November are fully booked, but they hope to organise more in the new year and encourage people to attend.
“I am living proof that CPR training works,” said Mick. “I am sure when Jenna learned it five years ago, she would have never thought that she would be in the position she was in on July 3.
“If Jenna hadn’t known how to perform CPR and was able to put it into practice in such a calm way, I wouldn’t be here today – that is the reality.”
Almost four months on, Mick says that he is “doing well” physically but is still dealing with some mental effects that the incident had on him.
“I have a lot of anxiety and panic attacks, but I am with the Heart Foundation rehab group, and I have also been to my GP, so I am addressing it. I am talking about it and asking for help because it is quite common for someone who has suffered trauma to feel like this.”
Annie thanked her daughter Jenna as well as her other two twin daughters who were there on the night.
“I am so proud of them all and they were just amazing because that was not easy for a 17-year-old and two 13-year-olds to witness.
“I also want to thank Peter Malone from the Tallaght Red Cross, he has been absolutely super and giving up his time free of charge as well as Grainne and the Kingswood Community Centre for giving up the hall free of charge for the classes too.”
