Driver seeks mystery GP who saved her life after heart stopped beating

Witnesses leapt into action when Joanne Durkin, 43, collapsed at the wheel in York city centre. Staff from the Kapadokya Turkish restaurant in George Hudson Street smashed a window to reach her and a woman who was Christmas shopping who identified herself as a GP performed heart massage until paramedics arrived.

Doctors since discovered that Mrs Durkin has Long QT syndrome, which causes disruption to the electrical activity of the heart and can be fatal. She has been fitted with an implant that has a built-in defibrillator which will restart her heart should this ever happen again.

Following the surgery, she was able to return home to spend Christmas with husband Patrick, and sons Matthew, 18, and Daniel, 11.

The family, who live in York, have thanked the heroic members of the public who came to her aid on December 13, but in particular Mrs Durkin hopes to find the passing GP, who is believed to be from Liverpool, to express her gratitude.

Joanne said: “You really couldn’t make up what happened. It’s amazing so many different factors came together that day to save my life. I still feel tired, but I’m so thankful that everything is going to be OK.

“My guardian angel really must have been looking after me that day.”

Mr Durkin said: “Her heart stopped again in the ambulance but they started her up again and got her to A&E. She was just so lucky that someone was there at the time to help her. The car came to a stop with no damage. It’s miraculous because she blacked out.

“She’s been unlucky, but there’s been so much luck involved it’s unbelievable.”

Erdal Ozturkce, manager of Kapadokya, helped at the scene and said: “I’m really happy she’s alive, we were really very upset. I didn’t know her, but she’s human and young, and it would be very sad for someone to die at Christmas time.”