What started off as a normal Wednesday morning drive to work for Tammy Comfort, ended with her being hailed as a hero.
When the South Morang resident noticed a car had hit a pole on May 25 just outside the Mason Point Medical Centre in Mill Park, she stopped to see if she could be of any assistance.
She found the driver slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious and without a pulse.
An ICU nurse happened to be driving by on her way home from night shift at the same time and stopped to help. Finding no pulse, the nurse declared the driver, Andrew, dead.
But Tammy insisted the driver be pulled out of the car and that CPR be performed in an attempt to revive him.
“I acted with all my strength thinking if this was my son, I would want a stranger to give it their best shot,” Tammy said.
Tammy and the nurse performed CPR for 27 minutes before an ambulance arrived to take Andrew to hospital.
Tammy was later told Andrew suffered a medical episode and went into cardiac arrest while driving.
He had surgery to fit a pacemaker and is expected to make a full recovery.
Tammy’s colleagues at Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities have hailed her as a hero for her unrelenting efforts to save Andrew.
However, she doesn’t agree with the sentiment.
“I don’t think I am [a hero]. I don’t think it’s a [heroic act] by any means,” Tammy said.
“I think it’s just someone trying to help someone else and taking life seriously.”
Tammy visited Andrew in hospital and the pair are still in contact.
“I was so happy to go and meet him in the hospital, so relieved that he was alive and recovering.”
Andrew said he was grateful to Tammy for saving his life.
“You saved my life and I would not be here without you, I can’t believe what you did for me,” he said.
