'˜Hero staff saved my husband's life'

A family has thanked sports centre staff who saved a father-of-two's life after he suffered a heart attack playing football.

Kevin McKay (48), a carers support worker based in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, had just finished a game at Bo’ness Recreation Centre on Monday night when he collapsed with chest pains.

Friends ran for help before centre staff delivered life-saving first aid and CPR with defibrillators which kept him alive until paramedics arrived and whisked him to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where his condition was brought under control.

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Wife Moira said the actions of the “amazing” staff saved her husband’s life.

She said: “I’ve been up to the centre to say thank you from all of our family. The staff were amazing and we can’t thank them enough.

“Kevin was in goals. He was hit by the ball in the chest and thought that was what the pain was. The cardiologist told us if wasn’t for the help he got we would have been looking at a completely different outlook so it just shows that these defibrillators do save lives.

“He is now in the hospital in Larbert and hopefully will be out by the weekend. We are so grateful to the staff and everyone else from friends and everyone at our children’s school for everything.”

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Paul Finnie, sport and recreation manager at Falkirk Community Trust, which runs the centre, said: “We are very proud to see our team implement the vital training that can save lives.

“Our team at Bo’ness Recreation Centre pride themselves on calm heads and quick reactions when it matters the most and this was undoubtedly the case on Monday.”

Area Commander for Falkirk police, Chief Inspector Damian Armstrong, also praised the staff.

He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to commend staff members at Bo’ness Recreation Centre who successfully used defibrillators. Quick thinking and action under pressure takes courage and can save lives.”

l See more on defibrillators on Page 5