Appeal to find ‘guardian angel’ who saved Sheffield man’s life after he collapsed at side of road

A Sheffield man who nearly died after collapsing at the side of a road is trying to trace the woman who saved his life by carrying him to a nearby doctors surgery.
By Alana Roberts
Published 21st Feb 2019, 16:31 BST
Updated 21st Feb 2019, 16:32 BST
Ronald Willies, pictured, is appealing for help in finding the lady who stopped to help him when he collapsed on the pavement.Ronald Willies, pictured, is appealing for help in finding the lady who stopped to help him when he collapsed on the pavement.
Ronald Willies, pictured, is appealing for help in finding the lady who stopped to help him when he collapsed on the pavement.

Ronald Willies, 68, of Parson Cross, had been working as a self-employed electrician fitting a light for a customer on December 11, 2018, when he began to feel unwell and decided to head home.

Driving down Abbeydale Road his symptoms persisted, so he pulled into Carter Knowle Road at around midday and, in excruciating pain, got out his car.

Ronald Willies, pictured, is appealing for help in finding the lady who stopped to help him when he collapsed on the pavement.Ronald Willies, pictured, is appealing for help in finding the lady who stopped to help him when he collapsed on the pavement.
Ronald Willies, pictured, is appealing for help in finding the lady who stopped to help him when he collapsed on the pavement.
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He then collapsed on the pavement and began vomiting when a nearby motorist, who identified herself as Helen, came to his aid.

It is believed Helen had been putting her elderly mother into her car at the time of the incident when she was alerted to Ronald’s condition.

Helen carried Ronald to Carter Knowle and Dore Medical Practice, close to where he had collapsed, and an ambulance was called.

Ronald was driving at the time when he began to feel unwell.Ronald was driving at the time when he began to feel unwell.
Ronald was driving at the time when he began to feel unwell.

Ronald’s wife, Dawn, 66, then received a call from doctors urging her to get to the Northern General hospital immediately.

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She said: “The doctors rang and said he was more or less unconscious and could I meet the ambulance at the hospital. He was so poorly. He went into shock and his organs had started to shut down so they rushed him straight to the resuscitation area.

“After multiple tests we found out he had got gall stones and acute pancreatitis. He was in hospital from December 11 to January 11.

Ronald Willies and his wife Dawn would like to thank 'Helen' for her helpRonald Willies and his wife Dawn would like to thank 'Helen' for her help
Ronald Willies and his wife Dawn would like to thank 'Helen' for her help

“He came home one night but was rushed straight back as he had double pneumonia and abscesses on his liver.

“He took a turn for the worse on Christmas Eve and we thought we were going to lose him. He was in all Christmas Day, and all New Year.”

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After passing the gall stones, Ronald is now recovering at home and is being regularly monitored by doctors. 

He has since retired due to the incident.

Dawn added: “The doctor said that if Ronald was on the pavement for five more minutes he wouldn’t have pulled through, or if he had stayed sat in his car and not got out he wouldn’t have made it.

“Helen was his guardian angel that day and we can’t thank her enough. We’d just like to just buy her some flowers and say thank you to her in person.”

Ronald and Dawn also thanked the doctors at Carter Knowle and Dore Medical Practice and the staff at the Northern General Hospital for the care they gave. 

Are you Helen? Get in touch via [email protected]

Related topics:SheffieldAbbeydale Road