A MAN who suffered a heart attack while working out at a Co Antrim leisure centre has thanked staff for saving his life.
Tony Daly was using the gym at Newtownabbey's Valley Leisure Centre in June of last year when the heart attack occurred and he stopped breathing.
Quick-thinking staff used CPR techniques and a defibrillator on the casualty while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
Mr Daly, who had been at the gym with his wife in a bid to get in shape ahead of their daughter's wedding, said he was technically dead for 26 minutes.
On Wednesday, he returned to the leisure centre to pay tribute to the staff who assisted him during the terrifying ordeal.
“I owe my life to the staff who attended to me immediately after my heart attack. I was dead for 26 minutes and only for the professionalism and lifesaving skills of the staff, I would not be here today," he said.
Antrim and Newtownabbey mayor Mark Cooper said he was "deeply proud" of his council-employed colleagues at the leisure centre.
"The council is fully committed to providing training and development for staff to prepare themselves to deal with incidents like this," he said.
"As part of their training all leisure attendants across council facilities receive two hours of training every month from The Royal Lifesaving Society. I cannot stress enough the importance of life-saving skills in the workplace and home and how this essential training does save lives.”
