Cork paramedic who saved her partner's life when he had heart attack to launch training classes

Off-duty paramedic Helena Kiely resuscitated her partner Mark O’Keeffe by using her work defibrillator which was stored in her car, and now wants to train others in what to do in similar situations

Helena Kiely said saving her partner and "miracle man" Mark O’Keeffe last January was down to luck and quick action, especially from local first responders in Carrigaline as well as the National Ambulance Service.

A Cork paramedic who successfully resuscitated her partner and shocked him with her defibrillator when he suffered a cardiac arrest last year is launching a new countrywide training service.

Helena Kiely said saving her partner and "miracle man" Mark O’Keeffe last January was down to luck and quick action, especially from local first responders in Carrigaline as well as the National Ambulance Service.

A fit and healthy 48-year-old, Mark was clinically dead for 15 minutes at home with Helena, who trained as a paramedic at University College Cork (UCC) and worked frontline during the pandemic.

The couple did not have plans to see each other, but after a bad shift at work for Helena, Mark made his way to hers.

“I had been stuck out in the rain, and he said he’d come down to see me,” Ms Kiely said.

When Mark went into cardiac arrest, she had her defibrillator from work in the boot of her car. 

“I was out to the car while I was ringing 999 to get the defib and then ran inside and back upstairs to him.” 

Her training as a paramedic kicked in, and she also administered manual chest compressions via CPR. 

“With the ambulance service, we receive quite significant training and everything is embedded into you with a systematic approach. 

“I was really grateful that my training did kick in. It was only afterwards that you’re left thinking ‘Did that really happen?' 

Mark would have been dead if he was by himself, that’s the reality of it unfortunately. We’re just lucky everything happened the way it did.

Mark has since made a fantastic recovery. 

"The strength and resilience he showed through his recovery was just phenomenal," Ms Kiely said. "He took it all in his stride. 

"It was just one of those freak things, we'll never really know what caused it but we're just absolutely counting all our blessings that the stars aligned for him that morning." 

“With the ambulance service, we receive quite significant training and everything is embedded into you with a systematic approach. 

She has since left the Ambulance Service.

A year on, Helena and Mark now wish to pay the luck forward.

“We’re so grateful. The Carrigaline First Responders were so good — they were out to us within eight minutes, and the ambulance service was out to us within 15 minutes. It was just phenomenal, and we just really want to pay it forward by educating as many people as we can.” 

Together, the couple are launching 'Echo Training Solutions', which will focus on training in cardiac arrest first response and first aid, as well as mindfulness and PTSD.

The training service will also be looking at supporting the mental health of those who administer CPR for members of their families, Ms Kiely said. 

“We feel there is scope there to educate and support people. It's very different when it's your own, you can imagine." 

Her advice to those who find themselves in a similar situation is to act fast, and know your Eircode. 

"Just recognising that they are in cardiac arrest is the main thing, and making the call."