JULIE Evans is lucky to be alive.
Her heart stopped for almost 40 minutes in January last year while she was undergoing treatment for her debilitating MS.
She was brought back to life with the use of a defibrillator.
And now Julie, husband Matt and son Brody have raised the money to pay for a defibrillator to be installed at son Brody’s school- St Alphege.
The money was raised through a fun garden festival which was initially intended to be a celebration of Julie still being alive after a ‘horrendous year’.
But when the family found out at Brody’s school induction day that the school needed a defibrillator, they decided to turn the garden party into a fundraiser to pay for the box and the installation of the life-saving device.
The defibrillator itself and the training has been provided by West Midlands Ambulance Service – Phil Laurence and Andy Jeynes from WMAS were on-hand to unveil the device with Matt and Julie Evans (pictured).
“Originally the festival was just to be a party for family to celebrate, but as soon as we heard about how St Alphege needed a defibrillator we knew we could help and how important it would be,” said Matt.
“We contacted Faye Morris from the Friends of St Alphege to let them know that we could provide this for them for the infant school and of course they were over the moon.”
Commenting on Julie’s fightback from the jaws of death, he added: “The courage Julie has shown through the dark days just goes to show what the human body is capable of.
“She still of course has MS as there is no cure but she is with us and able to see her boy again – and for that we are eternally thankful.”
