Elizabeth's Story
However, Carlos Alcaraz had hardly won a set before Elizabeth, who was 87 at the time, became unresponsive.
Her nephew, George, takes over the story. “Lizzie said to me ‘I’m having a funny turn’ and then proceeded to go unconscious and I realised quickly it was serious.
“I laid her on the floor and started CPR and called my brother Charles, who was upstairs, to get him to call 999. When we got through to the ambulance service, they were an immense help in counting along and ensuring I was carrying out the CPR at the correct rate.
“Charles was then sent off to find the nearest defibrillator, which was at one of the local construction companies, Gaiger Brothers, but then the code he was given to access it wasn’t working.
“Luckily a land ambulance arrived quickly and took over CPR, and realising Lizzie was in ventricular fibrillation they used a defibrillator on her. Thankfully they managed to stablise Lizzie and get back into a rhythm and cardiac output.”
Although she was breathing again, Elizabeth still needed to get to hospital quickly and that’s where Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance came in.
Critical care paramedic Louise Cox says: “After her cardiac arrest and resuscitation, which was started by her nephew and continued by the ambulance crew and Dr Simon Foster from BASICS (British Association for Immediate Care), we arrived on scene.
“It was myself and doctor Jono (Holme) and we were able to support her post-resuscitation care, stabilising her condition and supporting the decision making to take her to the regional centre in Bristol by air.
“By calling ahead we facilitated a transfer straight to the Bristol Heart Institute at the BRI, where she was able to have rapid assessment and treatment. As the incident was at the weekend, this intervention was not available at the nearest hospitals and a road transfer might have taken an hour.”
Pilot Elvis Costello (pictured above with Elizabeth) had landed in a field near to her house, but as access was via a gated footpath, the decision was taken to move the aircraft to the Police headquarters in Devizes, where the ambulance could transport her to the rendezvous point, accompanied on board by doctor Jono.
She was then loaded on board and flown to the BRI in a matter of minutes.
Elizabeth said: “I don’t remember anything beyond the meal and a bit of the tennis really. I don’t recall the flight in the helicopter – which I’m very upset about! The next thing I knew was waking up in the hospital.
“Earlier in the year I had been diagnosed with heart failure after spending several days at the Royal United Hospital. I had a clot on my leg and a clot on my lung. The heart attack came six months later.”
She remained at the Bristol Royal Infirmary in the heart institute for three weeks, where she was fitted with a twin device pacemaker and cardiac defibrillator.
“My breathing is a lot better, and I’ve been really well since,” she adds.
“All the stars aligned for me. I’m a miracle really. I feel very grateful to everyone who helped me.
“I was aware of Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance because of the charity shop in Devizes, but you don’t really think too much about it until something like this happens.”
Nephew George is a consultant at St Thomas’ Hospital in London and added: “As Lizzie says, all the stars were aligned. The fact all the family were round on that Sunday helped, as if she was alone I’m not sure we would have had same outcome.
“I understand the ambulance crew were just finishing a break nearby, so that’s why they were able to respond so quickly, and of course the air ambulance could have been on another mission, but they were able to land and assist at speed too.
“The odds are against someone in their 80s when they have a cardiac arrest but it shows with the right treatment and early intervention with CPR, that the patient will have the best possible chance.”
Elizabeth and George met pilot Elvis at a recent Brew with the Crew event at the airbase, and reengaged with Louise and Jono at her home in May 2025.
Elizabeth adds: “Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity is top of my list now – I want to do all I can to help them raise funds and I urge others to do the same because you never know when you might need them.”
Meet the aircrew from this mission
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