Attending football matches on a regular basis is a rite of passage for millions of Brits up and down the country.
Regardless of adverse weather, last-minute fixture changes and challenges posed by unreliable transport systems, fans still turn up in their thousands for matches at all levels of the English football pyramid.
90 minutes of action can take supporters through the whole spectrum of human emotion – from unbridled joy to a sense of loathing and despair.
Outside the ground, fans are often seen having a pie and a pint with long-time friends or waiting near the stadium to catch a glimpse of players before kick-off.
But few people could wake up in the morning and expect to have their life saved by a fellow fan.
This is the remarkable experience of a football fan who was saved by a rival supporter when he collapsed after a match.
This is the remarkable story of a football fan who was saved by a rival supporter when he unexpectedly collapsed while driving
David Norman, 66, recently reunited with Reading fan Pippa, who rushed to his aid after an incident in November 2022
David Norman, 66, from Northampton, crashed into another car on November 1 2022 after suffering a cardiac arrest while he was driving, putting his life in immediate danger.
Fortunately for David, he was saved by the quick-thinking of Reading supporter Pippa, who had been attending her team’s away match against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.
She said: ‘I reached over him, undid his seatbelt and with the help of another member of the public, pulled him from the car and started CPR.’
Emergency services quickly arrived and took over, delivering shocks to help restart David’s heart that would prove to be vital in saving his life.
However, Pippa, who was with her father and fiancée, headed home fearing the worst as she was unaware of David’s condition after he was taken to hospital.
Luckily, she received the best possible news after asking fellow fans for an update on David, which came courtesy of a member of the emergency personnel who was on the scene at the time.
Admitting to being overcome with emotion at the good news, Pippa said: ‘Luckily one of the paramedics saw my tweet and messaged me to say he was alive and I just cried.’
David said: ‘She saved my life, it’s as simple as that so probably about the best friend I’ve got, you can’t get a better friend really.’
David and Pippa were invited to a match between Luton Town and Reading in April 2023
Keen to stress how Pippa administering CPR to him helped save his life, David noted how vital a skill it is for people to have
He encouraged more people to learn the skill as they never know when they may need to use it in a real-life emergency
Despite the 66-year-old having no memory of the incident at evening, he said Pippa was determined to make contact with him after he had been discharged from hospital.
David added: ‘I realised who this person was. I knew rough details that someone had given me CPR but it was a while before I was told who it actually was.
‘When I heard that this lady, an opposition fan, had saved me, I thought, ”wow” and she was determined through the club to make contact with me.
‘If I’d had clear recall that someone had actually done that much to save my life, hopefully I’d have been pushing to find out who it was.
‘I don’t think I was aware of that when told that Pippa was trying to contact me but then the whole story came out from there.’
With David being from Northampton and Pippa being an avid Reading supporter, the pair agreed to meet one another when the Royals played the Cobblers.
Revealing how it felt to be reunited with Pippa, David said: ‘I didn’t burst into tears or anything but obviously you know, this is a person who saved my life.
‘It is quite amazing. I just said ”thank you, thank you so much”. It was just quite numbing and stunning really and great to meet that person.
If someone is not breathing, or not breathing normally, call 999 and ask someone to find a defibrillator
To start chest compressions, knell next to the victim and place the heel of one hand on the centre of their chest. Place the other hand on top of the first and interlock your fingers
‘She’d had no idea how it had all turned out, if I’d made it through the night or a few days.’
Highlighting the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), David was keen to stress how vital a skill it is for people to have – as an emergency could occur at any given moment.
The pair are supporting the Sky Bet EFL Every Minute Matters Relay.
Run in support of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the mission is to inspire 360,00 football fans to learn CPR using its BHF’s free and easy-to-use online tool, RevivR.
NHS advice on CPR states that if you see someone who is unconscious and not breathing normally, you should call 999 and start CPR immediately.
The British Heart Foundation also adds that if you have someone with you, you should ask them to find a defibrillator.
The charity says that you should start chest compressions.
Its guidance reads: ‘With the heel of your hand in the centre of their chest, press down smoothly and firmly at a rate of 2 per second.
‘Try pushing to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.
‘Use a defibrillator as soon as you can. Follow its instructions carefully while you continue to give CPR.’
David stated: ‘CPR is what saved me that night. It’s absolutely vital the more people that know CPR then obviously the better chance people like myself have got.
‘Now I worry so much less about other things in life and think, well, you know, I shouldn’t be here.
‘So every minute of life I get is just so precious. That took a lot of time to come to terms with as well, you know, that’s where I’m at’.