Futsal international and Northern League player Josh Margetts has shared the story of how he survived sudden cardiac arrest, saying quick action and access to an AED saved his life.
Margetts (29), who plays right back for Western Springs, collapsed while training for Auckland Football’s futsal team at the Barfoot and Thompson Stadium in Auckland’s Kohimarama.
The incident happened in October 2017 but Margetts is sharing his experience now as part of a campaign by Accident Compensation Corporation, NZ Football and FIFA to encourage football clubs to have AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) ready for emergencies.
Margetts’ heart stopped beating for 23 minutes as he lay on the stadium floor.
Luckily, one of his team mates was Kareem Osman, a doctor, and a member of the coaching team, Alejo Perez Leguizamon, had trained in First Aid.
Said Margetts: “They followed the three most important things you can do in that situation – one call an ambulance, two start CPR, and three use an AED. “They saved my life.”
While his helpers gave CPR, Margetts received seven shocks from the AED which saved his life.
He has since made a recovery and knows how lucky he was to survive.
His message now to clubs is simple.
“It’s not just happening to people who are old or have previous heart conditions or aren’t fit. It can happen to anyone There were no real signs that this was going to happen to me.”
He urges all football clubs to have an AED but says the AED is only as good as the people who know how to use it.
“Every day, it is the people who save lives,” he says.
“Early intervention makes a huge difference to your chances of survival. There is no real excuse for everyone not having an up to date basic first aid training.
“Learning CPR, knowing where the AED is at your local club or organisation. St John have an app so on your phone you can locate where the nearest AED is.”
Main photo: Josh Margetts (left) with Dr Kareem Osman. Photo credit: ACC.
Full story
Click here to read Josh Margetts’ story in full at the ACC website >>>>
Margetts: ‘I’m lucky to be alive’
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