Top award for man who saved two lives

A man who learnt crucial first aid skills following the tragic death of his dad has won a top award after saving the life of two men in Peterborough.
Lee Rayment, who has received awards for saving two lives, one of them at the ABAX StadiumLee Rayment, who has received awards for saving two lives, one of them at the ABAX Stadium
Lee Rayment, who has received awards for saving two lives, one of them at the ABAX Stadium

Lee B Rayment rushed into action at a Peterborough United match in 2014, when Ray Stratton collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Lee gave Ray life saving CPR while medics made their way to the scene.

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Just a year later, Ray was in the right place at the right time again, when a Lithuanian man was struck by a car at the Wellington Street junction with Bishop’s Road on a cold, rainy night, again giving CPR.

Now Lee has been given the British Heart Foundation’s prestigious CPR Hero Award.

Lee, who set up charity campaign #ukcharityweek which has helped raise millions of pounds for good causes, said: “After my father passed away aged 54 I decided to train extensively in emergency response. I would encourage others to have training which is why I am now an Ambassador of the British Heart Foundation’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign.”

Recalling the moment he realised Ray had collapsed at London Road, he said: “I was sat with my two children when I heard Adrian’s [Ray’s son] cry for help a few seats up. I took one look at Ray and saw my fathers scenario all over again, as he was in cardiac arrest, I had no chance of saving my dad (as he had been dead for about six hours when I sadly found him) but I had every opportunity to save Adrian’s dad and that’s all I was interested in.

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“I just remember pushing everyone out of the way to get to him, I got a few people to help me carry him down the stairs to the flatter pitch-side.

“The emergency services and club were second to none in the care they gave Ray at the time, and a real credit to the city.

“I met Ray in his hospital bed a day or two later with his family. I wanted an update and the hospital staff said I think they would like to meet you, so I remember being escorted into the ward by the nurses and his family members started crying. Sat in his chair at the side of bed he said to them ‘whatever’s the matter with you lot’ and his daughter said ‘this is the man who saved you’, he then put down his paper got up and cuddled me tearfully whispering ‘thank you so much’.”

Sadly Ray Stratton passed away earlier this year - four years after the incident in which he was treated by Lee.

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The second incident saw the victim severely injured by the car windscreen, and he had stopped breathing, Lee said: “You cannot leave a fellow human being in pain losing so much blood.”

After hearing about Lee’s actions, British Heart Foundation’s Chief Executive Simon Gillespie moved to belatedly award Lee the CPR Hero Award, saying that Lee had shown ‘true courage and fearlessness in a crisis situation’ adding, ‘you undoubtedly saved his [Ray’s] life, and you deserve great praise.’