Breakfast TV helps Derbyshire son saves dad's life

A Heanor pensioner was brought back to life by his own son '“ using tips he picked up on breakfast television.
Michael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrivedMichael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrived
Michael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrived

Michael Seviour, 77, collapsed without warning in the town’s post office on Saturday, October 21.

His life was saved by his quick-thinking son Neil, 45, who performed chest compressions on his father for seven minutes until the ambulance arrived.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Michael’s daughter, and Neil’s brother, Dawn Tyrrell, said her brother deserves immense credit for what he did.

Michael Seviour with his family, daughter Dawn, great grandaughter Annie May, son Neil, wife Janet and grandaughter EmilyMichael Seviour with his family, daughter Dawn, great grandaughter Annie May, son Neil, wife Janet and grandaughter Emily
Michael Seviour with his family, daughter Dawn, great grandaughter Annie May, son Neil, wife Janet and grandaughter Emily

“Dad actually died three times but my brother revived him each time,” she said.

“I just want to thank him – he saved our dad’s life.”

“He only found out how to do it when he was watching BBC Breakfast a few days before.”

Neil, who works at Guilford Performance Textiles in Somercotes, said: “I walked out of the post office and expected dad to follow me but he never appeared.

Michael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrivedMichael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrived
Michael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrived

“After that everything just kind of clicked.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The paramedics said I had done a fantastic job – as good as they could have done.”

A Heanor Post Office staff member called the ambulance before helping Neil keep count of how many chest compressions he had done.

After the ambulance staff arrived, they used a local defibrillator to shock Michael’s heart back into rhythm.

Michael Seviour with his family, daughter Dawn, great grandaughter Annie May, son Neil, wife Janet and grandaughter EmilyMichael Seviour with his family, daughter Dawn, great grandaughter Annie May, son Neil, wife Janet and grandaughter Emily
Michael Seviour with his family, daughter Dawn, great grandaughter Annie May, son Neil, wife Janet and grandaughter Emily

He was then rushed to Derby Royal Hospital and is currently on the mend at Florence Shipley Care Centre in Heanor.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dawn now wants to publicise her brother’s heroics to let others know that lives can be saved if you know what you are doing.

“If you do it, it works,” she said.

“You don’t even have to do the breaths – as long as you keep the blood flowing, they have a chance.”

Michael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrivedMichael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrived
Michael Seviour with his son Neil who kept him alive till paramedics arrived

“Dad is a walking miracle – God was on his side that day.”

Neil has since been in touch with Simon Gillespie, of the British Heart Foundation, the man who he saw demonstrating CPR on BBC Breakfast just days before being called into action.

Mr Gillespie said that as soon Michael is well enough he is to be the guest of honour at the BHF’s Leicester base.

Related topics: