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Hero student Melanie hailed a lifesaver

Posted onPosted on 15th Jun

A student at West Nottinghamshire College, Mansfield, helped save the life of a man who collapsed with a suspected heart attack.

Melanie Jeszke, 17, has been hailed a hero for her quick-thinking actions.

The public services student was walking through Mansfield town centre when she saw the pensioner fall on Leeming Street.

Her natural instinct to help kicked-in and she immediately called 999 and rushed to his aid.

After describing the man’s condition to the emergency call-handler, Melanie handed her mobile phone to a bystander, who continued talking to the operative.

Melanie began taking turns with a fellow passerby to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

A postman stopped to help and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the man, who is believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Melanie explained: “I was walking home after saying goodbye to my best friend when I saw a man fall face down on to the ground.

“I dialled 999 straight away and then ran up to him. There was a group of people around him, and his family members were panicking and didn’t know what to do.

“I was on the phone to the emergency services, who asked if the man was breathing, and I said no.

“I then passed my phone on to somebody else and Ben and I took turns to do CPR. The man started to breathe again, so we put him in the recovery position.”

Melanie also checked on a nasty head wound suffered by the man, who was bleeding heavily.

“We could hear the sirens of the emergency services coming – but then he stopped breathing again.”

Melanie continued with CPR until emergency services arrived.

The teenager learned to perform CPR in the Army Cadets, where she became a qualified first-aider.

Melanie was a member of Nottinghamshire Army Cadet Force (ACF) from the ages of 12 to 16, part of the C-Battery detachment that meets each Monday at the ACF Centre in Botany Avenue, Mansfield.

She plans to return to the cadets and become an adult instructor in the B-Company detachment, based in Clipstone, so she can pass on her life-saving skills.

Melanie said she had been overwhelmed by the public reaction to her quick-thinking action after her mum, Melissa, posted it on social media for her friends and family to read about.

“The response has been amazing,” she said. “I’ve been getting messages from people all over the world saying I am a lifesaver and hero.

“My family and friends are proud, everyone on the college bus that I catch has been talking about it, and people on my course have been really supportive.

“People have asked me how I did it but it was just instinct I guess.”

She hopes her story will inspire others to learn CPR and lifesaving techniques.

Public services tutor James Winning said: “I was very proud to hear about what Melanie had done, although not at all surprised. She’s a conscientious student and it’s in her character to help people in need.”

Praising Melanie’s actions, Mansfield MP Ben Bradley said: “I’m sure everyone at Nottinghamshire ACF are all incredibly proud of her. She is a credit to Mansfield.”

Richard Etherington, of Nottinghamshire ACF, said: “Amongst other things cadets gain recognised St John’s Ambulance qualifications to prepare them for situations like this. The gentleman was lucky that he took ill near an army cadet. We wish him well.”