Thanks for saving my life...

Melvin Kenyon: saved by other fans

A LATICS fan has praised the people who saved his life after he suffered a cardiac arrest while watching the game last year.

Melvin Kenyon (58) collapsed during the first half while watching Oldham Athletic away at Chesterfield on November 14. Fans, staff and ambulance workers quickly revived him before he was rushed to hospital.

Melvin, a Latics fan for 52 years, said: “I have no memory of that day, everything I know about it has been related by others. I filed into the away stand and the next thing I knew I was waking up in Chesterfield Royal Hospital a week later.”

Melvin discovered later that his life had been saved by fellow fans including off-duty ambulance technician Kenny Hopwood, Chesterfield’s club doctor, St John Ambulance volunteers and staff at the Proact Stadium who performed CPR before the ambulance arrived.

“I would not be here today if not for the efforts of those people,” said Melvin, who has made plans to meet up with Kenny before Latics take on Chesterfield on March 28. He hasn’t been able to trace the other fan who helped to save him.

Melvin added: “It made me realise how fragile life is. It’s a cliche to say death walks behind you, but in my case death tapped me on the shoulder!”

Melvin is also supporting a world record attempt for the number of people receiving a first aid lesson at the Proact Stadium on May 20.

“Imagine how you would feel if you had the chance to learn CPR but didn’t and were unable to help if a family member had a cardiac arrest. It is a life-saving skill,” Melvin affirmed.