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Mark Wright breaks down in tears as he recalls moment he battled to save man’s life
19 January 2023, 14:23
Mark Wright breaks down as he recalls performing CPR on a stranger
Heart's very own Mark Wright appeared on This Morning to talk about the moment he tried to save a dad's life.
Mark Wright broke down in tears on This Morning as he recalled trying to save a stranger's life.
Appearing alongside doctor Zoe Williams, the Heart presenter wanted to highlight the importance of CPR training after he had to react quickly during a holiday to Tenerife.
Speaking to hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, Mark revealed he and his wife Michelle were staying at a hotel when a woman approached them after her husband collapsed.
"The first thing I thought is I’m in a place where you would expect people to be trained," he said.
"There’s lifeguards around, I don’t know if they were trained or not, it was the fact that nobody reacted.
"Nobody was reacting to this poor lady’s cries, and I said to Michelle, “I’m going to have to go,” nobody else was reacting here."
Tragically, the man passed away, but he added it bought the family some more time.
“I did what I could - he was there for a while before I got there," Mark continued.
“He wasn't necessarily alive when I gave him CPR but it allowed the ambulance to put him on a life support machine.
“He wasn't pronounced dead while he was in my hands.”
Phillip told him: "Thank goodness you were there, you can only do your best."
"He was coming back with certain breaths at certain points," Mark replied, adding: ‘I did all I could, that’s all you can do, in that situation.’
The man's daughter Victoria has since thanked Mark for his quick actions, as she wrote: “It was my Dad who had the cardiac arrest in Tenerife.
“I want to thank you again for your help and support, without it my mum wouldn't have had the opportunity to say her goodbyes to Dad.
“You are an absolute star and I'm so grateful you were there, you did your best and I'll forever be grateful to you.”
Mark replied: “There you are Vic. I've been trying to find you. You were incredible for your dad and did him proud.
“You was stronger than I can ever imagine someone would be in that situation. Send you all, all the love in the world Vic. Xx”
Mark revealed he had recently learnt CPR after his close friend's dad died from a heart attack.
Elsewhere in the chat, Phillip then revealed he saved his father after he had a cardiac arrest in front of him.
“I brought my dad back doing that,” he said.
“And we got 20 extra years with him because of that, so you just never know.
“If I hadn't been in that night, then you know, that would have been it. So it is worth knowing.”
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