An ex-Premier League ace who famously coined the word ‘bouncebackabilty’ has done exactly that after being brought back from the dead when his heart stopped in a gym.
Former Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie, 59, used ‘bouncebackability’ to describe the team going from relegation spots in December to later winning promotion – and had it credited to him by the Oxford English Dictionary.
But he revealed that in March this year he suffered a cardiac arrest at a spin class at Gymworks in Chorley, Lancashire – leaving him technically dead.
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Quick-thinking bystanders helped him off the exercise bike and began giving him CPR – cardio pulmonary resuscitation – then used a defibrillator before paramedics arrived and rushed him to hospital, only waking up 26 hours later.
Now recovered, Dowie has met a team of North West Ambulance Service paramedics and called for everyone to learn lifesaving CPR skills at school or at work.
Dowie said: “I remember very little about the actual spin class apart from sitting on the bike and then waking up 26 hours later in hospital.
“My wife has told me the details of all that went on, how staff and bystanders helped me off the bike, started CPR, and used the defibrillator.
“I frequently reflect on how lucky I am. I have lost good friends in similar circumstances. Fortunately, my cardiac arrest happened in the best possible place, but that could easily not have been the case.”
(Image: Getty Images)
He added: “I am immensely thankful for the brilliance of everyone involved in my survival and recovery.
“These people were at the coalface, and the level of calmness and teamwork that went into getting me delivered to Preston Hospital critical care with my heart beating and the cracked ribs pain was a very small price to pay.
“I am also very keen to promote learning how to give CPR and use a defibrillator as these are critical to saving lives and is why I am still here today.”
In a glittering sporting career, Dowie played as striker for clubs including Luton Town, West Ham United, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.
He went onto manage a host of clubs such as Hull City, QPR, Coventry City, Oldham Athletic and Crystal Palace. He also scored 12 goals for Northern Ireland winning 59 caps.
Ian Savage, Head of the North West Ambulance Charity, added: “Iain was saved thanks to a publicly accessible defibrillator installed by the gym operator.
“The North West Ambulance Charity fundraises to install community defibrillators across the North West, where private funding is not available.
“Their availability can be the difference between life and death.