Malcolm Harris, a 94-year-old pensioner from Port Lincoln, had an alarming experience while cleaning his car in early May. The event above nearly cost him his life. Having already survived stage four pancreatic cancer and three major open-heart surgeries, he suddenly fell to the floor and passed out. Fortunately for Harris, Andrew Lear, a nearby prawn fisherman, saw Harris lying unresponsive on the ground and without a pulse. He did not hesitate to come to the rescue. His quick action, along with that of another passerby, would end up saving Harris’s life.
Lear had barely pulled up to the car wash to wash his own car when he spotted Harris. After evaluating the scene, he started CPR on Harris, keeping her alive for almost 15-20 minutes. Another bystander, Steve Whait, then continued CPR until emergency services arrived on scene. Their intervention was indeed timely and critical. Harris improved only slightly and was eventually transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Adelaide where she remained for three-and-a-half days.
A Life Saved Through Experience
Curiously enough, Malcolm Harris had previously found himself in an almost identical position three decades earlier. During the 1980s, he was a New Jersey prison guard. Just months after taking his first CPR class, he had the chance to use CPR and save a man’s life. His experience really came around full circle. All at once, he found himself in need of those same skills he had previously used to rescue another.
Harris, who was aware throughout his accident, remembers very little in his journey after that. He recalls installing the first defibrillator but not the efforts to revive him after that. His experience with CPR shows the value of first aid training and preparedness.
Andrew Lear’s emergency CPR knowledge from 30 years of training was just as critical in this story. “I was buggered so Steve took over, and I think he might have been going about five minutes, and by that stage, the ambulance was there,” Lear recounted. His training had prepared him to act in emergencies. Now, for the first time, he was in a real-world situation where he’d have to implement that training immediately.
The Role of Training in Emergencies
The incident has pointed to Australia’s long-standing concerns with first aid training. According to Wendy Greenhalf, a spokesperson for first aid training programs, “Australia continues to rank among the lowest globally when it comes to first aid training.” This failure to prepare has resulted in fewer people being ready to jump in at a moment’s notice.
Greenhalf added, “Knowing what to do in those critical first minutes can mean the difference between life and death.” The urgency for extensive training is not only high, but it’s critical. Emergency situations can happen with little to no notice.
Andrew Lear’s experience reinforces this point. He expressed his initial shock upon finding Harris unresponsive: “When I found him, he was bleeding from the mouth and nose, and he was a bit of a mess.” Even with the tragic and disturbing scene, Lear was able to draw on his training to take emergency action right away.
Creating Connections Through Crisis
After the adventure at the car wash, an unexpected bond grew between Harris and Malcolm and Andrew Lear. Their bond is a testament to the fact that courageous acts often bring about profound friendships. Both men have made clear their appreciation for being placed in the right circumstances to play a part in this life-saving occurrence.
“I stood back against my car afterwards and pretty much was shaking because I didn’t know whether he was alive or not.” To see something that traumatic, it just costs you so much emotionally. It serves to emphasize just how important it is to remain calm and collected in the midst of an emergency.
Harris, meanwhile, is just grateful for the immediate actions of Lear and Whait. Today, his recovery stands as a tribute to their bravery and willingness to take action when it was needed the most.
