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Deb enjoyed a sleep-in, followed by a cup of tea and a Valentine’s card in bed. There was laughter as the day unfolded, a bit of tidying around the house and plans for the evening ahead. The couple were also looking forward to an upcoming caravan holiday to Waihi Beach, two weeks away together.

That night, they joined friends for dinner. Stace recalls it as a relaxed, joyful evening. “We were having such a fun catch-up, music playing and a lot of laughs and great conversation.”

He remembers the moment clearly. “We were just about to have dinner. Deb was sitting at the table and I was getting my food. I looked at her and thought, ‘wow, she looks really pretty’, so I grabbed my phone and took some photos. She had her beautiful smile going.”

As Stace took his plate to the table beside Deb, Deb’s eyes suddenly rolled back, and she collapsed to the floor.

Stace and a friend immediately began CPR while emergency services were called. They continued resuscitation until a first responder arrived.

Help arrives

When Wellington Free Ambulance crews arrived, they quickly took over.

“They just stepped in and took control straight away,” Stace recalls. “They were so in sync with each other, while still talking to us, asking questions and explaining what they were doing.”

As the resuscitation continued, crews kept communicating clearly, even during complex procedures.

“They explained what was happening and why. That really stayed with me,” he says.

Fire and Emergency crews worked alongside the ambulance crews. The response was seamless and coordinated.

“They all worked together and discussed options,” Stace says. “It just flowed. They talked things through and made decisions together. It really felt like they do this on a regular basis.”

At that moment, Stace says he believed Deb had passed away. Her boys were on their way, and he felt devastated that nothing seemed to be working to save her.

After medication and multiple shocks, he was advised that a heartbeat had been regained.

He describes that moment as bringing huge hope. While Deb sadly never regained consciousness, the return of a heartbeat meant the family was able to spend time with her.

It gave her boys, her sisters and all of them the opportunity to be together, to share stories and say their goodbyes.

Stace says they will forever be thankful for that, while also feeling the deep sadness of not getting a full recovery.

The care continues

Throughout the journey to hospital, that same care continued. “The paramedics kept talking to me and keeping me updated the whole way to the hospital,” he says. “That meant a lot.”

In honour of the care Deb received, her family chose to support Wellington Free Ambulance through donations in lieu of flowers at her funeral, something Stace says felt right.

Deb had always supported Wellington Free Ambulance, and this was a way to acknowledge the compassion shown when it mattered most.

Reflecting on that night, Stace is clear about what it meant. “We know the team gave Deb and us every chance they could,” he says. “We couldn’t have asked for more.”

He also shares a message for the crews involved and for frontline staff across Wellington Free Ambulance:

“Thank you for everything you did. We really appreciate your efforts and dedication. Keep up the amazing work. It does make a difference.”