A gym manager who survived a cardiac arrest has saved a member's life during a spin class, forging an extraordinary bond between the two men. Andy Palmer, 35, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, suffered a cardiac arrest in January 2024 due to an inherited heart condition. After having a pacemaker fitted and returning to work, he was leading a class at PureGym in Tamworth in July when Andrew Ward, 49, collapsed from his bike.
Palmer immediately recognised the severity of the situation as Ward's face turned grey and his lips blue—identical symptoms to those witnessed during his own cardiac arrest. He began CPR, assisted by an off-duty nurse and a police officer who were also present. Ward was rushed to hospital and survived.
The pair later reunited at the gym, describing the meeting as emotional. They now refer to themselves as 'cardiac arrest buddies' and are determined to raise awareness about the importance of CPR training. They highlight the British Heart Foundation's RevivR tool, which teaches CPR in 15 minutes via a phone or laptop.
Ward, a national sales manager from Tamworth, said: 'I just gave Andy a big hug... how do you genuinely thank someone who saved your life?' Palmer added: 'Life is fragile... do your best to enjoy it while you can.'
According to the British Heart Foundation, over 40,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the UK each year, and survival chances more than double with timely CPR and defibrillation. PureGym, the BHF's official gym partner, has defibrillators in all its UK branches.
