A REGULAR match of tennis turned dire when Rodney Yarnold suffered a cardiac arrest on court.
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Rodney had been playing his regular spot at the men’s comp at Taree Tennis Courts when he suffered the sudden cardiac arrest.
“I was running back chasing a tennis ball,” recalled Rodney.
“Next thing I remember my knee hitting the court, and head butting the fence.
“After that I just blacked out.”
Rodney’s wife Rhonda received a phone call from her youngest son Michael, who had been playing on the court next door.
“Mum come down - Dad’s doing weird stuff,” he said.
“They are doing CPR.”
Those on the scene reported that Rodney’s tennis-mate Daniel Jackson didn’t hesitate and started performing CPR immediately.
Other mates of Rodney’s including Brian Alexander, Dave Lawler, Alan Steber and Dave Coleman also assisted in delivering the CPR, helping for around 20 minutes until paramedics arrived.
Rodney was rushed to Manning Hospital where it took around 15 people until 2am to stabilise him.
The next day, after being put in an induced coma, Rodney was moved to Concord Hospital in Sydney.
“He had a ventricular fibrillation,” explained Rhonda. “This is where the chambers all start beating at the same time instead of in a rhythm and your heart just stops.”
Later, at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the couple found out that with ventricular fibrillation there is only a 10 per cent success rate with external CPR and not all those people get their brain function back.
“And that’s what is so emotional, because if they hadn’t done it so quickly, it could have been all wrong,” Rhonda said.
This was a huge to shock to the family, as up until then Rodney had been an active man mowing lawns, playing tennis and working full time.
“We look at things differently now,” Rodney said.
“When people say you have to take everyday as a blessing, you don’t actually get it, until something happens,” explained Rhonda.
A particularly blessed day for the couple was recently attending their son Aaron’s wedding, a day Rodney might not have seen, if not for the mateship on that night last August.
“You can never thank them enough,” Rhonda said. “It’s amazing they kept him going for that 20 minutes.”
“Twenty minutes is a long time when you think of it,” added Rodney.
Now Rodney, Rhonda and the heroes behind the CPR have been invited to help launch local Rotary clubs sessions on CPR.
AFTER having his life saved by CPR, Rodney Yarnold wants to advocate the importance of learning the skill leading up to Anzac Day.
Rodney, his wife Rhonda and the heroes who saved him have been invited to help launch local Rotary clubs’ CPR sessions next week.
Next Wednesday, April 22 the Rotary Club of Taree North and Rotary Club of Taree on Manning will each hold a CPR session at the Waterfront Restaurant.
Taree on Manning Rotary’s session will commence at 1pm, and Taree North Rotary’s session will begin at 6pm.
“What a great way to celebrate mateship which was so much tied to the Anzac theme, than to have an Anzac celebration that features CPR,” said president of the Rotary Club of Taree on Manning and Greater Taree City councillor Alan Tickle.
President of Rotary Club of Taree North and medical practitioner Dr David Healy encouraged all to attend as “...a quick reaction is the difference between life and death.”
Terry Kitching, who is a Rotarians and the Rural Fire Services (RFS) community safety co-ordinator, will have 11 CPR “dummies” and will give a demonstration on CPR.
The cost for a meal at the sessions is $20 and this will also provide a donation to the RFS.
Those not interested in having a meal are still welcome to attend, by paying a donation to the RFS upon entry.
Members of the community are urged to attend and encouraged to be a mate and learn CPR.
If you wish to book a meal for Rotary Club of Taree North call Kath and Ian Cahill on 0427 093 533.
To book a meal for Rotary Club of Taree on Manning call Suzie Rack on 0408 597 279, Elizabeth Tollis on 0428 743 918 or Alan Tickle 0434 645 853.