I watched a schoolboy go into cardiac arrest on the road after an assault… a homeless man and I saved his life
- Do you know the kind stranger who helped save Blake Spiers’ life? Email edward.holt@mailonline.co.uk
A schoolboy who went into cardiac arrest on a busy shopping street was saved by a young couple – and a mystery homeless man they are desperate to trace so that he can be thanked.
Blake Spiers, 13, suffered a heart attack after his friend was robbed in Manchester city centre on the evening of February 15.
After Blake collapsed in the street, he was helped by Nicole Bodgers and Brad Roberts who were out in the city enjoying an evening meal.
Speaking to MailOnline Ms Bodgers – who lives in Longbridge near Preston – said: ‘Me and Brad were walking back towards our car when we just saw a boy lying on the floor with his friends nearby and we thought hang on he looks like he needs help.’
When Ms Bodgers and Mr Roberts got closer to the child they realised that he was seriously unwell.
‘We kept asking his friends where his mum was and it was then we decided to call an ambulance,’ she said.
While on the phone to the first responder the couple became more concerned about Blake’s welfare after he started doing ‘sharp deep breaths’ and then appeared to stop breathing.
Ms Bodgers claimed that it was at this point that a concerned nearby homeless man also came over to help.
Blake Spiers (pictured with his mother Tracy) suffered a heart attack after his friend was robbed in Manchester city centre on the evening of February 15
After Blake collapsed in the street he was helped by Nicole Bodgers and Brad Roberts (pictured) who were out in the city enjoying an evening meal
The 24-year-old said: ‘The caller on the phone then said we needed to start doing CPR so we got him on his back while Brad ran towards the ambulance which couldn’t drive down the pedestrianised Market Street.
‘They guided me on the phone and I tried to do it, but I wasn’t strong enough so it was the homeless man who took charge while I rested his head on my knees.’
Once the paramedics had rushed to the scene they were able to revive Blake before they rushed him away in an ambulance.
Ms Bodgers, who is an IT Project Manager, said: ‘It was a very scary situation but in the moment you don’t really get upset because you are running off of so much adrenaline.
‘But it’s like you don’t really know what is going on.’
It wasn’t until a week later that Ms Bodgers and Mr Roberts discovered that Blake had survived the incident when they read about him in a Manchester Evening News article.
After this Ms Bodgers was determined to get in touch with Blake’s mother, Tracy Spiers.
She said: ‘I started joining groups to try and find her, because I knew he was from Longsight and that was when I saw a message on a group about a mother whose son was in hospital.
Blake was saved after a mystery homeless man – with the help of Ms Bodgers – performed CPR before the paramedics could arrive at the scene
It wasn’t until a week later that Ms Bodgers and Mr Roberts discovered that Blake had survived the incident when they read about him in a news article
‘I reached out to her and she was really nice and grateful for all our help and we even chatted on the phone and she put me on the phone to Blake and he said ‘thank you’ and we agreed to go see him.
‘He’s quite bored in hospital, so we’d like to get him a gift there.’
The couple also want to track down the man who performed CPR and saved Blake’s life after they weren’t even able to say thank you to him at the time.
‘I still really want to find the homeless man that helped who left just after it all happened.
‘I imagine he was just as upset as us, but I don’t know if he had someone he could talk about this with,’ Ms Bodgers said.
She added: ‘If I could speak to him I’d like him to know we’re grateful for what he did and I’d just like to help him and help each other process this, because when he left he was visibly upset.’
While he is recovering in hospital, Blake has took it upon himself to set up a GoFundMe to raise money for his mother and younger brother to stay in one of Ronald McDonald’s ‘home away from home’ accommodation for the parents of sick children.
Since the incident Greater Manchester Police have arrested two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, on suspicion of robbery.
Both have been bailed pending further investigations.
Manchester’s busy Market Street where Blake collapsed (file image)
In a statement, GMP previously said: ‘Detectives investigating reports of a robbery in Manchester city centre at the weekend have made two arrests.
‘The incident occurred on shortly before 9pm on Sunday 15 February, with a male reportedly having an item of clothing taken from him during an altercation.’
‘An investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances.
‘One man, aged 18, was arrested on suspicion of robbery and has since been bailed pending further enquiries.
‘Another male, aged 17, has been arrested on suspicion of the same offence and remains in custody for questioning.’
Superintendent Nicola Williams, from GMP’s City of Manchester district, said: ‘Our officers are still investigating the full circumstances of this shocking incident, and we remain in contact with all those involved to offer our full support.
‘Following this incident, a young teenager was left in hospital and all of our thoughts are with him as he continues to recover from this horrific ordeal.
‘We are continuing to investigate this incident and I would urge anyone with any information to please get in touch.’
Anyone with information can contact police via gmp.police.uk, 101 or 0161 856 4305, quoting log 2854 of 16/02/24, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
