Pupils save heart attack teacher

8:32am Tuesday 5th August 2008

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A teacher has paid tribute to 30 children who helped save his life when he had a heart attack in class.

Michael Wilson was taking a maths lesson at Kingsdown School in Ermin Street, Stratton, when he collapsed.

“Without their intervention and quick thinking I could have died.”

Michael Wilson

The 50-year-old father-of-five had just given pupils their papers for an exam when he become out of breath and his lips turned blue.

Pupils quickly understood the severity of the situation and went to get help.

"Without their intervention and quick thinking I could have died," said Mr Wilson, who has been teaching science and maths for 28 years.

"It was a serious incident and they acted so quickly it helped save my life. I'm quite fit and healthy and don't smoke or drink so it was a huge shock to me."

Teachers were called in by the Year 7 pupils and first aid was given until paramedics arrived eight minutes later.

Mr Wilson has been on the Mercury Ward at the Great Western Hospital for six weeks now. He has had a further two heart attacks and suffered from pneumonia and a kidney infection.

When he regained consciousness Mr Wilson thought he was at his former home on the Isle of Wight, where the couple lived for 13 years before they moved back to Swindon in 2002.

His wife Lorraine had to tell him he was in hospital in Swindon.

He still suffers slight memory loss but is feeling better and more positive about life every day.

"I found I couldn't read at all," he said. "I couldn't visualise the words - it was so frustrating. I'm a big Swindon Town fan and was given some books on their history but I couldn't read any of them.

"Then suddenly something clicked overnight it was miraculous."

Mr Wilson's heart attack occurred on the day of his son Joe's 18th birthday on June 9.

"The school children ran in all different directions to get help," said Mrs Wilson, 45, from Cricklade Road. "They managed to get a few adults' attention.

"One got a defibrillator out of his car and kept Michael's heart going until the ambulance came. If he had been in his office when he had the heart attack he could have died.

"It has been difficult to see him in the state he was in but the transformation has been amazing."

Mr Wilson was transferred from Swindon to St Bartholomew's Hospital in London last week.

Doctors are assessing if he requires a double or treble bypass operation.

"There's no way we can say thank you enough to everyone at the school," said Mrs Wilson. "I'm so appreciative of their efforts.

"He's a special man and well thought of at the school."

On the last day of term last month kids held a non-uniform day.

Each student paid £1 with the money going to the British Heart Foundation and the hospital's intensive care unit.

The day is expected to have raised about £1,000.

Departing teachers also played their part. Many of the 20 who have left the school at the end of term asked for the funds from their leaving presents to be donated to the charities.

Michael hopes to get back to the family home fairly soon after his operation and will ponder his future plans.