A postman has been hailed a hero after saving the life of an elderly woman – who didn’t know she was having a heart attack.
Jeff Cooper had been making a delivery to Margaret Rhone’s home when he heard her dogs barking incessantly and became concerned.
Getting no reply, he continued banging on her door in an attempt to raise her, because he was worried after she had suffered a fall the previous week.
Margaret, from Park Wood, Kent, lives alone and was sitting in a chair because she was feeling ill – but after Jeff refused to stop knocking, she eventually got up and answered the door.
The quick-thinking postie immediately recognised her symptoms and rang 999 – and comforted the elderly woman until help arrived.
The 78-year-old said: “I had chest pains and dizzy spells, I felt disorientated and I was sweating like a pig – but I didn’t know what was happening.
“I knew I felt unwell but I didn’t realise I was having a heart attack.
“He wouldn’t stop knocking on the door and if I hadn’t eventually come round and gone to answer it I wouldn’t be here.
“He saved my life, there is no two ways about it.”
The postman of 35 years then sat with her while paramedics treated her.
She was taken to William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, where she spent four nights and had two stents fitted.
Kind-hearted Jeff, 64, now calls in on her daily, after her heart attack earlier this year, even if she does not have any letters.
He said: “I’m just so pleased I got a response from her. I knew something was wrong straight away.”
Margaret added: “The doctor said I didn’t know how lucky I had been to get help in time.
“I don’t know how I can ever express how grateful I am to have been given a second chance.
“He’s such a lovely, social man and he really cares about the people on his round. He’s my hero.
“I just want to publicly say thank you and show him I do appreciate everything he did.”
