Justyce Crossman and her fiancé David Robinson were enjoying a countryside walk near Llanidloes, Wales, as part of her 23rd birthday road trip. But their romantic outing turned into a life-or-death emergency when David suddenly collapsed.
The Collapse
Only minutes from the car park, David, 21, fell face down and began convulsing. Justyce immediately called 999 and started CPR, as he was unresponsive and not breathing.
Emergency Response
First responders and paramedics arrived 20 minutes later. They used a defibrillator to deliver two shocks, stabilizing David. He was airlifted to Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbighshire and later transferred to Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for open heart surgery.
Rare Heart Condition
Doctors diagnosed David with Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA), a rare defect affecting about one in 300,000 babies. Without surgery, mortality in infants is 90%, making David’s survival remarkable.
Justyce, who had studied nursing, knew CPR was crucial. She says, “If I didn’t know how to do it, David probably wouldn’t be here today.”
Recovery and Future
David, an electrician and cricket player, is recovering well. Surgeons say he should not have another heart attack and can return to his active lifestyle. The couple, engaged in March 2025, now fundraises with defibrillator charity Missed A Beat to install more public defibrillators in rural areas.
Justyce plans to train as a paramedic, inspired by the experience. She emphasizes the importance of CPR training: “It’s like an eternal bond because I have just given him back his life.”
