In memory of Matt
EAAA attended Matt in June 2024 when he suffered a medical emergency at home early one morning. Sadly, Matt died in hospital a few weeks later, however his fiancée Alice explains how she remains ever grateful for the critical care he received at the scene from the Anglia One (Norwich) crew, and the extra time that this gave her with Matt.
“I first met Matt in 2018. We became a couple and started to build a lovely life together. He was completely mad about football and was the biggest Liverpool supporter; he used to go to loads of matches. He often treated me on my birthday with visits to places like The Ritz and The Savoy. We had the best times. For Matt’s birthday one year, I bought him a skydive because it was something he had always wanted to do – and he absolutely loved it!
Before we met, Matt hadn’t been on holiday for thirteen years and hadn’t ever had an adult passport. We grew to love travel and holidays together and used to go away twice a year. We got engaged in Rome in October 2022. It was a really special proposal with roses and a photographer capturing the moment. Matt had planned the whole thing – and it was magical. We were so happy.
We worked hard to get a house. By March 2024, we were settling into our first home together in Norfolk. Soon afterwards, we got Leo, a Golden Labrador puppy. He was Matt’s dream dog and his whole world! They would go on little walks together every day during Matt’s lunch break.
On the morning of 29 June 2024, we woke up early. It was around 6:30am. We were just chatting in bed, and Matt was fine. Shortly afterwards, he started snoring. I thought he had gone back to sleep, but then he fell out of bed.
I went over to help, but Matt couldn’t respond. He looked at me, however he couldn’t move.
Matt was always so strong but when I tried to help him up, he couldn’t pull himself off the floor. I called 999. Within an instant, Matt had a seizure, was sick and developed a nosebleed. His breathing became irregular.
The land ambulance arrived very quickly – within eight minutes – at this point Matt had stopped seizing but was unconscious. A crew, Dr Mark, Dr Kieron and Critical Care Paramedic Nigel, from East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) was tasked from their Norwich base. Meanwhile, the ambulance service lifted Matt into the back of the ambulance.
EAAA’s Dr Mark spent a lot of time with me to explain everything that was happening. The EAAA crew had opened Matt’s airway and, while he was breathing on his own, he wasn’t quite doing what they’d hoped, so they had taken over his airway and breathing completely. They were incredible.
What I didn’t know at this point was that Matt had a brain bleed. The crew talked about the best hospital to take Matt to. Matt had a history of Hydrocephalus, which meant he was known to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, so the EAAA crew decided to take him there by helicopter.
This was the best decision. It turned out that Matt needed surgery so very quickly.
The bleed had flooded the fluid channels in Matt’s brain. He had an operation to fit a drain when he arrived at hospital. I spent every day from 11am – 8pm at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, staying over at weekends so I could be with him as much as possible.
For a while we thought he might be ok, but Matt later developed an infection.
He never woke up. Matt died on 3 August 2024, aged just 32.
The decision by the EAAA crew to fly him straight to Addenbrooke’s Hospital gave me five weeks of being at Matt’s bedside, giving him my undivided attention. It was the most important time of my life, and I struggle to put into words how grateful I am to EAAA for giving me this time.
It was the worst five weeks, but it gave me five weeks of hope.
I sometimes imagine what would have happened if East Anglian Air Ambulance didn’t exist. Matt would never have got to Addenbrooke’s in time for specialist surgery to give him the best chance.
— Alice
Although it ended in the worst way, everyone did more for Matt than you could possibly imagine. I did everything I could too. Matt was just unlucky. People have told me it was written in the stars – and I do believe this.
I didn’t know about EAAA’s Aftercare service until I received a call from Jordan, one of the Aftercare Clinicians. I remember feeling amazed when she called me. She knew everything and her support has been incredible. She lets me rant, she lets me cry. When she calls me out of the blue to see how I am, it’s like she’s sensed that’s when I need support the most.
Sometime after Matt died, I met EAAA’s Dr Mark and Matt’s Consultant at Addenbrooke’s. They said he would have known I was there with him; a familiar voice right until I said goodbye. Being able to meet Dr Mark was so helpful. He went through everything and reassured me that I was the reason EAAA were called. My answers on the initial 999-call raised flags, which triggered the EAAA crew being tasked.
We didn’t know this would happen to Matt, but if we’d known, we may never have done all the amazing things we had. We lived our lives exactly how we wanted to. Our plan was to be together forever. I was his forever, and I am now driven to do everything in memory of Matt.
My Dad’s company, Desira Group, have chosen EAAA as their charity of the year, and my Stepdad’s Community Club is also fundraising for the charity. This support means a lot. Everything I want to do is for the air ambulance, and it means so much that other people want to support EAAA in memory of Matt too.”
