Christchurch swimmer brought back from the dead after rescue at QEII pools from hero citizens and children

A woman who suffered a cardiac arrest at a public swimming pool has been given a second shot at life after being rescued by young children and a quick-thinking mother watching swimming lessons.

Two youngsters - believed to be aged under 12 - have been hailed as heroes after bravely trying to keep the swimmer’s head above the water during the dramatic incident last month.

Emergency services were called to an afternoon water-related incident at QEII Recreation and Sport Centre in the eastern Christchurch suburb of New Brighton on August 28.

Penny Snelling was watching her son’s swimming lesson at the centre’s lap pools when another child called out: “Mum, what’s wrong with that lady?”

The QEII sports centre boasts a range of public swimming pools including a hydro slide and inflatable obstacles. Photo / George Heard

Snelling heard the mum yell back to her daughter to lift the lady’s head out of the water after she had become hunched over, fully submerged.

Two children tried to lift the woman’s head from the water but were unable as Snelling watched on from the poolside.

“I looked at the lifeguard and he still hadn’t woken up to the fact,” she told the Herald.

“So I said ‘screw this’ and took my shoes off - heaven knows why I took my shoes off - I didn’t even say anything to my poor child, I just leapt straight into the pool and dove across my kid’s swimming lessons.”

By the time Snelling reached the woman, named Wendy, she was “one hundred per cent” under the water.

Reaching over the lane rope, and grabbing Wendy under the shoulders and hoisting her on to her own, the Christchurch mother dragged her across the lanes to the side of the pool.

By this point, the lifeguard was aware of the incident and came to assist with getting Wendy out of the water.

“We got her onto the side and she was blue, totally dead,” said Snelling.

“I’ve never seen anything as close to lifeless. She was limp as anything and totally gone. She’d had a cardiac arrest in the pool.”

Penny Snelling said the rescue was a case of taking action and dealing with the consequences after.

Given her state, Snelling determined CPR would need to be started straight away. So she got to work with compressions, something she’d been trained to do in a life-saving course back in high school.

Snelling was first, then an off-duty nurse took over. Then another member of the public, then another, all taking turns to compress the Wendy’s heart and trying to bring back life.

A defibrillator was sourced and used. After six minutes Wendy’s pulse was restored.

“Your mind takes over, you just do,” she said.

“I just felt for my poor boy - he’s terrified of emergency services like ambulance and police, and oh my Lord the response that turned up.”

Two firetrucks, multiple police units, a couple of ambulances and a rapid response vehicle were at the scene within 30 minutes of the incident.

Snelling didn’t see her children for almost an hour - she was busy trying to manage the crowds.

Wendy, who is in her sixties, was rushed to the hospital and immediately placed on life support.

She survived the ordeal and has since been in contact with her rescuers to keep them updated on her recovery.

People who witnessed the event have also written on social media about how the two children who tried stepping in were “heroes”.

“She’s a walking miracle,” said Snelling.

“A bloody miracle - no brain damage, no nothing. It’s just insane.”

Two weeks have since passed, Snelling said Wendy was expected to undergo heart surgery today but the operation was cancelled at the last minute.

Snelling reflected on the incident and gave credit to the public displays of heroism.

“Everyone just helped, I guess anyone would, wouldn’t they?” she said.

“That’s my opinion anyway, I figure if you can swim confidently and know how to do CPR then you just do.”