‘Guardian angel’ who saved Sheffield man’s life is found following appeal

Ronald Willies, 68, and his wife Helen, 66, of Parson Cross, launched an appeal to find the good Samaritan named ‘Helen’ after exhausting all other efforts to trace her and thank her for stopping to help.

Now, The Star can reveal that following the appeal Helen has now been found.

Ronald 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 and collapsed onto the pavement where he began vomiting.

It was then that Helen, who had been nearby with her elderly mother, came to his aid. 

Helen, who is originally from Sheffield but now lives in Scotland, had been visiting relatives in the area and it was actually her mother who noticed Ronald in the street.

The, in a move that doctors said saved his life, she carried Ronald to nearby Carter Knowle and Dore Medical Practice, and an ambulance was called.

Ronald had gone into shock and his organs had started to shut down with doctors later revealing he was suffering from gall stones and acute pancreatitis.

He was in hospital for a month, before being discharged on January 11 and is now recovering at home.

Helen said: “I was really worried and could see he was very poorly I just kept him talking and conscious. I knew I wouldn't find out how he went on, but he stayed on my mind and I kept thinking about it. I am just delighted, it is wonderful to know he is OK.”

Helen’s details have now been passed on to Ronald and his wife Dawn, who said they will be sending flowers as a thank you. 

Dawn added: “It means a lot to us to find her. If it had not been for her Ronald wouldn’t have lived. I don’t know how she got him to the doctors, he weighed a lot more at the time, he has since lost weight but I wouldn’t have been able to carry him.”