It’s been 10 months since Bradley Smith got down on one knee to pop the question – just weeks after his bride-to-be saved his life.
If it weren’t for fiancee Sinead Reid’s heroic actions, Mr Smith wouldn’t be here to plan their upcoming wedding.
On July 15 last year, he went into cardiac arrest at their home in Bridge of Don – at the age of just 23.
Miss Reid, 22, sprung into action and performed CPR for 12 minutes until paramedics arrived.
Today, 24-year-old Mr Smith is “trying to take each day as it is” as he continues his road to recovery.
This has included a 15.7K walk through the city to raise money for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).
Mr Smith was joined by Miss Reid and their loved ones and they raised £2,000.
Earlier this week, the couple presented the cheque to the paramedics who raced to Mr Smith’s rescue one year ago.
Support from all over
Hailing the 999 heroes, he said: “They came so fast, and if it wasn’t for them, there wouldn’t have been a defib straight onto me. That’s what saved me.”
He also said he was taken aback by the support of so many people rallying around their fundraiser.
“It was good to see that everyone was there. Everyone came out the woodwork,” Mr Smith added.
Miss Reid previously told how they had received support from “people he doesn’t really speak to”.
She said: “I think it’s because it’s so close to home, and it’s probably really scary for people who are the same age as Bradley, knowing that this could also happen to them.”
Mr Smith, who led an active lifestyle, believes his “mystery” cardiac arrest came “completely out of the blue” and reiterated that “this does happen to anyone”.
He has since had an S-ICD implanted, an electrical device that monitors the heart and can treat fast rhythms.
He can no longer able participate in Muay Thai, something he enjoyed prior to his cardiac arrest, but is “slowly getting back to normal” on the golf course as well as a phased return to work.
However, he still struggles to recall the 31 days he spent in hospital.
He said: “All I remember is coming home from work, seeing my dog Brucey and that was it.”
Next up: the wedding
Although Mr Smith is “still dealing with everything”, he is making more progress every day, and is ready to tackle his next challenge: wedding planning.
The mechanical technician proposed to Miss Reid last September.
He said: “I’m fairly easy-going, trying to take each day as it is. I’m putting what happened to me to the back of my mind, and I’ve proposed to Sinead, so we’re sorting a wedding out.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We are really pleased to hear that Mr Smith has made such a good recovery and highly commend Miss Reid’s life-saving actions that day. Every second counts when someone has had a cardiac arrest and early CPR and use of a defibrillator is essential to increasing the chances of survival.
“We are extremely grateful for the donation to the Scottish Ambulance Service and we wish Mr Smith all the very best as he continues his recovery. We would encourage more people to learn CPR and you can find out more information here: Home – Save a Life for Scotland. By taking the time to learn these skills you could save a life one day.”
