Halifax teen awarded for saving dad's life after cardiac arrest

A teenager who saved the life of his dad who had suffered a cardiac arrest has received national recognition.

Henry Collett, 13, from Hipperholme, near Halifax, rang 999 and then performed CPR on his 56-year-old father Jules when he collapsed in March.

The pair were out on a run when Mr Collett fell unconscious and stopped breathing, Henry said.

Henry, who learned CPR at school and at Sea Cadets, has been honoured with a British Heart Foundation (BHF) award.

The teenager said problems had started when Mr Collett felt unwell as they reached the top of a hill during their run.

"My dad looked at me and said, 'I don't feel so good' and then fell.

"I went over to him and he was breathing really weird. It sounded like he was taking too long to take another breath."

Henry said he used his dad's phone to call for an ambulance and was then told to start CPR.

"What went through my head was: what you do in the next 10 minutes could save him," he said.

A passer-by then helped the youngster, who rushed to a nearby rugby club to retrieve a defibrillator.

Mr Collett was then taken to hospital where he was fitted with a heart-starting device.

He said he was "just so incredibly proud" of his son.

"It's truly amazing what Henry did that day. We were out in the middle of nowhere, but Henry stayed calm and kept a level head. For someone his age to do that is incredible.

"I'm alive because of Henry, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here. It's a very poignant thing to sit and understand that your son has saved your life."

Henry's life-saving actions were recognised with the BHF's virtual Heart Hero Awards.

"It feels amazing to win this award," Henry said.

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