The family of a young Newton Aycliffe man whose life was saved after his heart suddenly stopped are now campaigning for more defibrillators to be installed, as it could have been a "different story for them".
David Robinson, 21, collapsed without warning while walking in the Welsh countryside with his fiancée, Justyce Crossman.
Justyce performed CPR for 20 minutes, keeping David alive until emergency crews arrived.
Justyce Crossman with her fiancé David Robinson from Newton Aycliffe.
(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)
Paramedics shocked his heart twice with a defibrillator before he was airlifted to hospital, where doctors discovered he had an extremely rare congenital heart defect called Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA).
David underwent open-heart surgery and is continuing to recover.
His family is now supporting Missed a Beat, a charity set up by Mark Preston to fundraise, supply, and maintain defibrillators across County Durham.
After hearing David’s story, Mark contacted the family and arranged for a defibrillator to be installed at Sandringham Care Home in Bishop Auckland, where David’s mum Audrey works.
Within a week of the device being fitted, staff nearly had to activate it during an incident.
From left, Mark Preston of Missedabeat, David Robinson and Mayor Cllr Sam Zair, at Sandringham Care Home in Bishop Auckland
(Image: STUART BOULTON)
The family and charity are now determined to get more lifesaving machines installed across the community.
The campaign has already raised money through a charity cricket match at Bishop Auckland Cricket Club.
Organisers thanked everyone who attended, bought raffle tickets, took part in the tombola, bought a football card or entered the cricket card competition to win a signed Australian cricket shirt.
Every penny raised will go towards getting lifesaving equipment back in place at the cricket club.
The charity cricket match at Bishop Auckland Cricket Club
(Image: PROVIDED)
The plans include installing a replacement community defibrillator, fitting a Bleed Control Kit, giving the existing cabinet some much-needed TLC and registering the defibrillator back onto The Circuit.
The charity said this will ensure the device is visible to the ambulance service and available when someone needs it.
The Social Club and Cricket Club have also agreed to have Missed a Beat charity boxes permanently in place.
Money raised will help pay for the ongoing upkeep of the equipment, including pads and batteries.
(L-R) Audrey Robinson, her son David Robinson, and his fiance Justyce Crossman.
(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)
Audrey said: "It is really important to us especially to have a defib in any place possible as they are not just for the old, it can happen to anyone, because it could have been a different story for us.
"We now want to use this to raise awareness on the fact it can happen to anyone, show the importance of CPR, and raise money to get more of the life-saving machines more readily available everywhere in the community."
David previously said he was proud to support the fundraising efforts.
He said: "I never expected it to happen to me and it can happen to anyone, anywhere so to have a defib fitted somewhere where there are highly vulnerable people but also just somewhere else in the community can only be a good thing as in an emergency every second can count."
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For the charity, the mission is not simply about putting a defibrillator on a wall.
It is about making sure it remains maintained, registered, and emergency-ready when somebody’s life depends on it.
The campaign is now urging communities to support their clubs and help save lives.