Aquarobics instructor a life saver

SwimGym co-owner Judy Hill and personal trainer Learna Karena helped bring a man back to life at the public pool last week. Photo / Glenn Taylor

It was Learna Karena's "exhausting" CPR effort that brought a Hawke's Bay man back to life before the ambulance arrived at a public pool.

A routine trip to the Hastings SwimGym proved ill-fated for Terry Morgan, 49, last week.

Mr Morgan, described as "fit and healthy," had done about five laps of the pool with his wife Anne when he began to feel dizzy.

Struggling to breathe, he made his way to the side of the pool, where SwimGym co-owner Judy Hill noticed he was in trouble.

Ms Hill said in eight years owning the business, she had never experienced anything like it.

"It was pretty scary. I was just finishing the children's swim class when a parent told me, 'that guy doesn't look very well'. I went over to him, he said he felt dizzy and he didn't think he could get out."

Two men helped pull a lifeless Mr Morgan out of the pool after his condition deteriorated. Hastings fitness instructor Learna Karena, who had been teaching an aqua aerobics class, began giving him CPR while Ms Hill phoned emergency services.

Ms Learna said the situation appeared dire for Mr Morgan.

"He lost consciousness and his face started turning blue. There weren't any signs of life."

Mrs Morgan spoke to her husband during the anxious 10-minute wait for the ambulance.

"It seemed like the longest time. It was like we were in slow motion - it was really a nightmare. All I remember telling him was 'try and keep breathing, babe.'"

As Ms Karena performed CPR, colouration began to return to his face and he began to move his limbs.

The wait for the ambulance was "exhausting," but she hadn't found the situation traumatic.

"I had a prayer and went about doing what I felt I could do. When someone needs help we do have to help, we have to take the focus off ourselves and extend help."

Ms Hill said when the ambulance staff arrived, they had to use the defibrillator on Mr Morgan multiple times.

"They worked on him for 20 minutes in the ambulance because he kept slipping away."

Ms Karena, a 42-year-old mother of six, later went home and hugged her kids, telling them she loved them.

"I had a greater appreciation of just how precious life is."

She had learned CPR during a first aid course last year as a requirement for her role at the pools.

Mr Morgan was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital, and later transported to Wellington Hospital's cardio unit.

He was due to be discharged at the weekend. His family are awaiting test results to determine the cause of the incident.

Mr Morgan's daughter, Sapphire Ferguson, said her dad wouldn't have survived if it wasn't for the actions of Ms Karena and Ms Hill.

"The doctors have said that Terry would most certainly not be with our family today had he been anywhere else. We are eternally grateful for the quick, calm and collected way that they handled the situation. Because of them we have Terry with us today."