A motorcyclist who suffered a potentially life-threatening stroke in a remote part of the Yorkshire Dales has praised the farmer who came to his rescue.
Earl Parker, 79, from Skipton, was riding alone near Summer Lodge Moor in Swaledale April when he stopped to admire the view and began chatting to farmer Ashley Hird.
Within minutes, Earl’s left arm and leg became weak and he collapsed onto the road.
Ashley helped him into his vehicle and set off towards the GP surgery in Hawes, calling 999 using Earl’s phone during the journey.
Earl recalled: “I thought I was dead – I thought I was going to die.”
An air ambulance was dispatched and Earl was flown to The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where a CT scan revealed he had suffered an ischaemic stroke.
Hospital staff administered thrombolysis – clot-busting treatment designed to restore blood flow to the brain – within 13 minutes.
Earl was subsequently moved to the stroke unit for observation and was well enough to be discharged just two days later.
Consultant Dr George Thomas said the speed of the response had been crucial, with the period between the 999 call and Earl receiving treatment taking only an hour.
He said: “We are extremely grateful to those who helped Mr Parker reach the hospital quickly, including the North Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service, enabling him to receive thrombolysis in time.
“Mr Parker’s case highlights the importance of the phrase ‘time is brain’, represented by the ‘T’ in F.A.S.T.”
Ashley said he had initially stopped because he thought Earl’s motorbike had broken down.
“As soon as I thought something was wrong, I lifted him and put him in my vehicle and drove like hell to the GP in Hawes,” he said.
“I was able to save him and that is a miracle.”
The pair have remained in contact since the incident.
In July, Earl and his friends travelled to Swaledale to thank Ashley and presented him with a customised shepherd’s crook in recognition of his actions.
Ashley said he was delighted with the gift and hoped to meet Earl and his friends again.
Earl, a former joiner, is now recovering and wants his experience to raise awareness of the symptoms of a stroke.
“The entire incident was scary and I felt like something explosive was happening in my body,” he said.
“But thanks to the care provided by the expert medical teams, I couldn’t believe I was able to go home so quickly.
“The NHS and the kind farmer saved my life.”
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So uplifting to hear how Ashley Hird dealt with the situation. What a difference he made. He should be so proud of himself. Well done.