HBF runner's heart stopped just metres from line
Paul Jolly was just metres from the finish line of the HBF Run For a Reason when his heart stopped.
The 59-year-old dad collapsed during the final stretch of the 12km charity race last Sunday morning, suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest in front of thousands of runners and stunned spectators.
It was 9.07am when Mr Jolly stopped breathing. As he collapsed, several bystanders and a volunteer event doctor rushed over to him and started CPR.
'I just remember it being really hard to run, and then probably a kilometre later I just hit the deck. I don't remember anything,' Mr Jolly said in an exclusive interview.
'It felt a bit like I didn't have the oxygen to do what I wanted to do, but I didn't know it had anything to do with my heart so I just kept running.'
Moments later an urgent request for medical help rang out across the loudspeakers at Gloucester Park, and 32-year-old Suchi Kalia and fellow St John WA volunteer Amy, 22, grabbed their equipment and started running.
'We had no idea what we were walking into. People in the crowd were screaming and waving at us to hurry,' Ms Kalia, one of the two responding Event Ambulance Officers said.
'So I sprinted ahead a bit because I thought 'something's not right' and as I came around the corner I saw people on him doing chest compressions.'
A minute after they were dispatched the pair arrived at the scene, just 100m from the finish line, and called for backup. Paul Jolly suffered a life-threatening cardiac arrest metres from the Run For A Reason finish line. Credit: Ian Munro / The West Australian
A person's chance of survival after suffering a cardiac arrest decreases by 10-12 per cent every minute they go without intervention. So for Mr Jolly, every single second he went without air mattered.
Over the next couple minutes, the St John volunteers were able to use a defibrillator to shock Mr Jolly's heart and continue CPR. By 9.13am, a team of paramedics had arrived and delivered a second shock.
Less than nine minutes after his heart stopped, the father-of-five regained consciousness and enough cognitive awareness to realise he wasn't supposed to be on the ground.
'He was very adamant on wanting to get up and finish the race,' Ms Kalia told The West Australian. 'He kept saying 'I'm fine, I'm OK, let me up'.'
Amy said the experience was extremely 'surreal'. 'We had amazing training so we felt as prepared as you can be in that sort of situation.
These two little girls wouldn't have me unless you'd restarted my heart.
'And your brain sort of goes into autopilot. You get hyperfocused on each step.'
Jaimee Styles, a third volunteer who was on the other end of the radio when Mr Jolly regained conciousness, said she was incredibly proud of the team.
'To be sitting there on the phone and hearing everything happening in real time. Hearing the were able to shock, they were able to get a second shock. And then to even be able to hear him over the phone saying 'I'm, fine, I'm fine', was quite amazing,' she said. Paul Jolly with volunteer St John WA officers Amy, Suchi and Jaimee. Credit: Ian Munro / The West Australian
In an emotional reunion with the three volunteers on Thursday afternoon, Mr Jolly said he was 'deeply grateful' to the women.
'These two little girls wouldn't have me unless you'd restarted my heart,' he said, gesturing to his six-month-old and seven-year-old daughters nestled on his lap.
'I'm eternally grateful to you, and to the three other people and bystanders and runners on the day all who helped save me.'
The Mindarie man had been training for the 12km race and runs regularly. He's fit and healthy, and is now undergoing tests to try determine the cause of his cardiac arrest.
Mr Jolly has joined the ranks of the one in 10 people who survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
In WA, approximately 1300 cases are reported every year, with cardiovascular disease costing the state $1.3 billion annually.
Heart Foundation general manager WA Dr Helena Viola said Mr Jolly was an 'incredibly lucky guy'.
'Every minute counts in this kind of scenario. You've got less than 10 minutes to get into action,' she said. 'The early CPR and defibrillation in this case are key.'
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in WA, with 150 West Australians hospitalised every day. Even more alarming is the rate of hospitalisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is two times that of non indigenous people. Dr Nik Stoyanov. Credit: Ian Munro / The West Australian
Mr Jolly's cardiologist at Royal Perth Hospital, Dr Nik Stoyanov, said while Mr Jolly was unlucky, he was also 'very lucky he had the cardiac arrest where he did'.
'There were bystanders nearby, there was a defibrillator, there were volunteers, paramedics, a junior doctor, he was very fortunate,' he said. 'It could have been a very different scenario. And a very different outcome.
'If he was out going for a run in the community when this happened... well, only five to 10 per cent survive that.'
Mr Jolly's partner Liezel Caliso said her partner had been given 'a second life'.
'We are so fortunate,' she said.
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Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
HBF runner's heart stopped just metres from line
Paul Jolly was just metres from the finish line of the HBF Run For a Reason when his heart stopped. The 59-year-old dad collapsed during the final stretch of the 12km charity race last Sunday morning, suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest in front of thousands of runners and stunned spectators. It was 9.07am when Mr Jolly stopped breathing. As he collapsed, several bystanders and a volunteer event doctor rushed over to him and started CPR. 'I just remember it being really hard to run, and then probably a kilometre later I just hit the deck. I don't remember anything,' Mr Jolly said in an exclusive interview. 'It felt a bit like I didn't have the oxygen to do what I wanted to do, but I didn't know it had anything to do with my heart so I just kept running.' Moments later an urgent request for medical help rang out across the loudspeakers at Gloucester Park, and 32-year-old Suchi Kalia and fellow St John WA volunteer Amy, 22, grabbed their equipment and started running. 'We had no idea what we were walking into. People in the crowd were screaming and waving at us to hurry,' Ms Kalia, one of the two responding Event Ambulance Officers said. 'So I sprinted ahead a bit because I thought 'something's not right' and as I came around the corner I saw people on him doing chest compressions.' A minute after they were dispatched the pair arrived at the scene, just 100m from the finish line, and called for backup. Paul Jolly suffered a life-threatening cardiac arrest metres from the Run For A Reason finish line. Credit: Ian Munro / The West Australian A person's chance of survival after suffering a cardiac arrest decreases by 10-12 per cent every minute they go without intervention. So for Mr Jolly, every single second he went without air mattered. Over the next couple minutes, the St John volunteers were able to use a defibrillator to shock Mr Jolly's heart and continue CPR. By 9.13am, a team of paramedics had arrived and delivered a second shock. Less than nine minutes after his heart stopped, the father-of-five regained consciousness and enough cognitive awareness to realise he wasn't supposed to be on the ground. 'He was very adamant on wanting to get up and finish the race,' Ms Kalia told The West Australian. 'He kept saying 'I'm fine, I'm OK, let me up'.' Amy said the experience was extremely 'surreal'. 'We had amazing training so we felt as prepared as you can be in that sort of situation. These two little girls wouldn't have me unless you'd restarted my heart. 'And your brain sort of goes into autopilot. You get hyperfocused on each step.' Jaimee Styles, a third volunteer who was on the other end of the radio when Mr Jolly regained conciousness, said she was incredibly proud of the team. 'To be sitting there on the phone and hearing everything happening in real time. Hearing the were able to shock, they were able to get a second shock. And then to even be able to hear him over the phone saying 'I'm, fine, I'm fine', was quite amazing,' she said. Paul Jolly with volunteer St John WA officers Amy, Suchi and Jaimee. Credit: Ian Munro / The West Australian In an emotional reunion with the three volunteers on Thursday afternoon, Mr Jolly said he was 'deeply grateful' to the women. 'These two little girls wouldn't have me unless you'd restarted my heart,' he said, gesturing to his six-month-old and seven-year-old daughters nestled on his lap. 'I'm eternally grateful to you, and to the three other people and bystanders and runners on the day all who helped save me.' The Mindarie man had been training for the 12km race and runs regularly. He's fit and healthy, and is now undergoing tests to try determine the cause of his cardiac arrest. Mr Jolly has joined the ranks of the one in 10 people who survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In WA, approximately 1300 cases are reported every year, with cardiovascular disease costing the state $1.3 billion annually. Heart Foundation general manager WA Dr Helena Viola said Mr Jolly was an 'incredibly lucky guy'. 'Every minute counts in this kind of scenario. You've got less than 10 minutes to get into action,' she said. 'The early CPR and defibrillation in this case are key.' Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in WA, with 150 West Australians hospitalised every day. Even more alarming is the rate of hospitalisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which is two times that of non indigenous people. Dr Nik Stoyanov. Credit: Ian Munro / The West Australian Mr Jolly's cardiologist at Royal Perth Hospital, Dr Nik Stoyanov, said while Mr Jolly was unlucky, he was also 'very lucky he had the cardiac arrest where he did'. 'There were bystanders nearby, there was a defibrillator, there were volunteers, paramedics, a junior doctor, he was very fortunate,' he said. 'It could have been a very different scenario. And a very different outcome. 'If he was out going for a run in the community when this happened... well, only five to 10 per cent survive that.' Mr Jolly's partner Liezel Caliso said her partner had been given 'a second life'. 'We are so fortunate,' she said.
West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
Father Paul Jolly saved by volunteers after cardiac arrest metres from finish line of HBF Run For a Reason
The West Australian exclusive Father Paul Jolly saved by volunteers after cardiac arrest metres from finish line of HBF Run For a Reason
Perth Now
24-05-2025
- Perth Now
REVEALED: Perth's worst areas for hayfever sufferers
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