A MOUNTAIN rescue team have shared the incredible story of a life-saving mission that has now went full-circle, with the casualty now running the London Marathon in the name of volunteers who saved his life.
On January 6, the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team attended their second call-out of the year, a report of a 26 year old fell runner, Tommy Price, who had suffered cardiac arrest caused by severe hypothermia as a result of blistering conditions on Hall’s Fell.
Tommy, who was near leg one of a Bob Graham Round training run, was unable to continue the relatively short remaining descent down Hall’s Fell to Threlkeld village, with his friend, Max, running down to raise the alarm of the on-going situation.
A Keswick MRT spokesperson said the initial search party discovered the casualty ‘lying further up the trail, lying down with no signs of life’.
"Despite the fact that to all appearances the man was lifeless, current medical guidelines and our team training tells us that a casualty is not dead until they are warm and dead. To that end the casualty is treated as if he were still alive," they said.
The team consisting of 24 Keswick and two Penrith MRT volunteers orchestrated life-saving compressions, whilst the team prepared for the arrival of the Coast Guard Rescue 936 helicopter from Caernarfon.
Mr Price was then transported by air to A&E at the RVI Hospital in Newcastle and upon arrival, his core temperature was found to be 18.8 degrees.
"This was one of the lowest body temperatures from which someone has survived – a truly remarkable survival story and a testament to the professionalism of all involved," they said.
The runner remained in a coma for four days following the incident, only to wake up confused as to what happened and asking for a ‘coke’.
Six months on, Tommy has fully recovered apart from severe nerve issues in his hands and feet.
Resiliently, the Fell runner is gearing up to compete in the London Marathon in October, all in the name of the Keswick MRT.
On his justgiving page, Tommy wrote: "I was clinically dead for between 2 hours 14 minutes and 3 hours 20 minutes and if it wasn’t for the volunteers and doctors that work for mountain rescue I wouldn’t be here today!
"Please donate anything you can - everything helps these amazing people to keep saving lives,” he said.
To donate to Tommy’s fundraising effort, click here.
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