Andi's Story
Andi Hunte had just returned from a holiday in Cornwall and was awaiting hospital tests on his heart, when he collapsed at home in Royal Wootton Bassett on 28 July 2024. Although he remained conscious and insisted his wife Kim shouldn’t make a fuss, she knew that something was wrong and called for help.
The Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity crew on shift that day were pilot Rob, critical care paramedic Rocky, and trainee critical care paramedic Enda. Having just attended an emergency in Bristol, they were re-tasked directly to Andi and Kim’s house alongside colleagues from South Western Ambulance Service and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue.
When Rocky and Enda arrived, Andi was suffering from a dangerously low heart rate and was in and out of consciousness. Andi explained, “I was at home and my heart stopped four times. I had four paramedics, the fire brigade and the air ambulance turn up to save my life.”
Andi experienced a low heart rate over a significant period. Andi recalls that seeing a mist and was met by loved ones who had passed. He described being met by his late Uncle Ray, his Godfather, who tapped him on the shoulder and told him, “go back, it’s not your time yet”.
In the moments he was conscious, he explained to Rocky and Enda that he was worried - not for himself, but for Kim and their dog. Andi shared, “My wife and I live in a first floor flat, and the fire brigade were going to remove the window to get me out of the building. They said “we can take it out, but we can't put it back”, so I was worried about Kim and the dog’s safety being without a window.”
Thankfully, Andi’s condition had improved following the initial care provided by the land ambulance paramedics, and Enda worked with the fire service to find a solution to get him down the stairs.
Andi added, “The fire brigade did two dummy runs to make sure they could move me in a horizontal position that worked and keep the window.”
In cardiac emergencies, patients can require monitoring and close attention, as they are at continued risk until the underlying cause is treated. For Andi, land transfer to the Wiltshire Cardiac Centre at The Great Western Hospital in Swindon was best suited to his ongoing care. Rocky accompanied Andi in the land ambulance and continued to monitor Andi, in case he deteriorated and required specialist advanced interventions en-route to hospital.
Enda explained, "Treating someone as a paramedic is often as much about making a human connection as it is about providing clinical care. His apartment had a number of different guitars, and we got talking about them and his love of music - partly to help put him at ease, but also out of genuine interest. It was a chance to get to know the person I was caring for.
The next time I saw him on base, he told me he’d had a pacemaker fitted. He’d named it Gerry - after Gerry and the Pacemakers. It was lovely to share a laugh and reconnect over the music we’d spoken about."
The following spring, Andi and Kim attended an airbase behind-the-scenes tour, as well as the Charity’s largest fundraising event, Middlewick House Open Garden, before being inspired to become volunteers. Andi explained, “We saw the fantastic crew, and we wanted to become part of the Charity to say thank you to the whole team. When I did meet Rocky and Enda, I've never felt so humble in my life as when I met them to say thank you. And there’s a joke between Enda and myself, where he says ‘I saved your window didn't I?’ Even my daughter sent a beautiful letter saying thank you for saving my dad, which meant a hell of a lot to me.”
As volunteers, Andi and Kim regularly join events at the airbase and in the community, passionately talking about the Charity’s vital work and spreading joy to the community as our mascot bear, Wilber. What Andi remembers most about the incident was Rocky and Enda’s care. Beyond providing the specialist medical interventions, Enda created a
solution to keep the window, and both paramedics stayed with Andi until he knew he’d be okay in the hands of the cardiac specialists in hospital.
The crew at Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance Charity are there when they’re needed most, but only thanks to the generosity of the public. From donations to volunteering, everyone who supports the Charity plays a vital role in ensuring the crew are ready to respond. Andi explained, “I don't know how much it would have cost to get that air ambulance out to me, but volunteering is my way of repaying them and I thank deeply Enda and Rocky for their assistance. Please put your hand in your pocket give something, because I hope you never have to use the Charity.”
