An ordinary visit to a local cafe turned into a life saving mission for Will Jones, an off-duty crew member from West Kirby RNLI.
He was out for coffee in Popsy’s Hoylake with his family, when his mother, Carron Jones, approached a man – Steve Morris – who appeared unwell.
Spotting her concern, Will joined her and immediately began assessing the situation. The man was pale, clutching his chest, and struggling to talk.
Thanks to his quick thinking and extensive training, Will was able to recognise the symptoms of a potential heart attack and provide assistance until paramedics arrived.
“I didn’t want to alarm him but I suspected he might be having a heart attack.”
“I focused on keeping him calm while gathering as much information as possible for the paramedics.’
Working with cafe staff, Will ensured a defibrillator was on standby and asked for a notepad to take notes about the man’s medical history, symptoms and activities leading up to the incident.
Despite the man’s concerns about needing to get his 93-year-old mother back to her nursing home, Will gently but firmly persuaded him to remain seated and wait for an ambulance. Speaking quietly, he explained the severity of the situation and reassured him that help was on the way.
Within minutes, the ambulance arrived, classified as a priority category 1 call thanks to Will’s detailed report during the emergency call. He handed over his notes to the paramedics, who took over the care.
Will credits his response to the five casualty care courses he has completed as part of his lifeboat crew training.
“We go through all the symptoms in depth during our training and this gave me the confidence to step in. This situation really highlights how important it is for everyone to have some basic first aid training. Just knowing the basics can literally help save someone’s life in those critical moments before paramedics arrive.”
Steve Morris recalled feeling unwell earlier that morning, initially dismissing it as indigestion.
He praised Will’s professionalism, knowledge and care, and said: “If it wasn’t for Will, who knows where I’d be. He saved my life and I can’t thank him enough. Will and I will be friends for life now and I’ll never forget what he did for me.”
Following the incident, Steve was taken to the hospital, where doctors confirmed he had suffered a heart attack.
The next morning, he underwent surgery to insert a stent. During the procedure, a one-inch blood clot was discovered, with the blockage, located at a critical junction.
He extended his gratitude not only to Will, but to the entire lifeboat crew, acknowledging their dedication as volunteers.
“The fact these volunteers do this while balancing their families and lives is incredible.”
West Kirby lifeboat station were delighted to accept a box of goodies from Steve, as well as a generous donation, when he joined the crew at their most recent meeting to personally extend his thanks and recount the story.
During the meeting, Will also demonstrated the use of the CPR training set kindly gifted to the station earlier this year, which will continue to be used in the crew’s ongoing training.
