STOURBRIDGE’S hero postie Dan Howells has told of his pride at picking up a national charity award after saving the life of a man who suffered a cardiac arrest.
Dan, who works at Stourbridge’s Royal Mail delivery office, was awarded a CPR Hero award at the British Heart Foundation’s Heart Hero Awards in London last night (Wednesday December 6).
The 42-year-old, who carried out successful CPR on a pensioner who collapsed after visiting the delivery office in the High Street on November 23, 2022, was presented with the award at a star-studded ceremony hosted by TV and Radio presenter Vernon Kay.
Dan, who has been hailed a “hero” by the man whose life he saved - Darryl Taylor, was seated beside famous names including BBC Radio 2 presenter Kay along with Pippa Middleton - sister of the Princess of Wales.
He also had his photograph taken on the red carpet and with members of pop group S Club and former England goalkeeper David Seaman.
Dan described the evening as “overwhelming” and told the News he felt hugely proud to have been put forward for the prestigious award.
He said: “It was an absolutely amazing night; a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“Everybody was really friendly and welcoming.”
During the evening, an emotional film featuring interview clips with Dan and Darryl recalling the dramatic day brought tears to people’s eyes.
Retired welder Darryl, now aged 79, told how there were no words to thank Dan for what he did – carrying out CPR for 15 minutes before paramedics arrived – after Darryl collapsed outside the delivery office.
Darryl’s wife Anne said she didn’t know how he’d managed to do it and added: "My husband survived; he deserves a medal, he deserves all the recognition we can give him."
Dan, who has learned CPR some 15 years earlier when he was a football coach, said it had been a long 15 minutes doing chest compressions, but he just did what he needed to until help arrived.
He said it had been “right time, right place” and he was glad to have been able to give Darryl a chance to spend another Christmas and birthday with his family.
The pair have stayed in touch since that momentous day and Dan told how he was able to have a few beers with Darryl at a charity event at Stourbridge Football Club recently.
Isabelle Kidder, BHF survival programme delivery manager, said: “All of us here at the British Heart Foundation are really proud of Dan – he is so deserving of the CPR Hero award he won at our Heart Hero Awards.
“Dan’s actions using CPR to help save Darryl’s life demonstrate why this is such an important skill to learn. You never know when you might need to be that person who steps up to help save a life of a stranger or even a loved one and we would urge anyone who hasn’t learned this skill yet to visit the BHF website to find out how.”
Dan has since been encouraging others to learn the lifesaving skill and his employer Royal Mail has partnered with the BHF with the aim of offering CPR training to 100,000 employees to help save lives.
BHF tips on how to do CPR on an adult in five steps:
1) Check for a response. Firmly shake the person’s shoulders and loudly ask if they’re okay.
2) Call 999. If the person is unconscious and not breathing, or not breathing normally, start CPR.
3) If there is someone else present, ask them to find a defibrillator.
4) Start chest compressions. With the heel of your hand in the centre of their chest, press down smoothly and firmly at a rate of two per second. Try pushing to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.
5) Use a defibrillator as soon as possible. Follow instructions carefully while continuing to give CPR.
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