Redding bij de tram station

It was Whit Monday, and Adam Jesney, 54, had just returned to Amsterdam after a weekend visit with family in the UK. After leaving the airport in the early evening, he made his way to the Zuid metro station in South Amsterdam and was about to catch a tram to his home when he started feeling dizzy.

“My heart was racing incredibly fast,” Adam says. “I recall thinking, ‘OK, perhaps the tram will have to wait … I’ll just sit down and take a moment.’” That’s when he collapsed.

Meanwhile, 23-year-old Beau Schoots was on her way home from a rugby match when she noticed a group of people gathered around Adam. She approached, quickly realized the severity of the situation, and jumped into action. “I had my first aid and CPR certifications, and I wanted to help,” she says.

“Don’t hesitate; act immediately – every second counts. The AED tells you exactly what to do.”

One of the bystanders who had responded after Adam’s collapse happened to be a nurse, and she was kneeling on one side of Adam. “I went to his other side,” Beau says, “and just after I sat down, we heard him start to make strange noises. We laid him on his back and immediately started CPR. The nurse and I took turns while a bystander called emergency services.”

Fortunately, in Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, city AEDs are placed at the entrances of the office buildings. As the pair continued performing CPR with the help of another bystander, Beau noticed an AED hanging nearby and asked someone from the crowd to bring it. “Once the AED was connected, we gave him one shock, and that’s when he came back. Shortly after, the fire brigade, police, and ambulance arrived.”

Adam, who had no prior history of heart disease, says he is recovering from the experience with a renewed appreciation for life. “The swift actions of Beau and her fellow helpers saved my life; my family and I are eternally grateful.”

Adam and his wife Tracey later had the opportunity to meet Beau in person, a special and emotional experience for all three of them. Adam advises, “Do the training. Have the courage to use it and use it quickly. You can make a real difference and save many families from a lot of pain.”

Beau agrees: “Don’t hesitate; act immediately – every second counts. The AED tells you exactly what to do. If you see someone not feeling well, don’t just walk by. See if you can help them. You might be the one who makes just that little difference in someone’s life.”