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TAXI DRIVER HEROICS: Glasgow cabbie’s quick thinking helps save passenger after heart stops during routine journey
A Glasgow taxi driver has been praised after his rapid response helped secure emergency medical treatment for a passenger who suffered a cardiac arrest during a routine journey.
Glasgow Taxis said driver Charlie Matthews was nearing the end of a short early morning hire to Stobhill Hospital when he noticed passenger Jake Sinclair had suddenly slumped in the rear of the cab and was struggling to breathe.
Recognising the seriousness of the situation, Matthews immediately alerted staff at the hospital. Medical teams rushed outside and administered CPR, successfully restarting Sinclair’s heart, according to Glasgow Taxis.
Sinclair was subsequently transferred to the Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank for further emergency treatment.
In the days following the incident, Sinclair’s daughter Donna contacted Glasgow Taxis seeking to thank the driver involved, whose identity was initially unknown to the family. The operator later established that Matthews had been driving the taxi.
Glasgow Taxis said Sinclair continued to recover and, less than three weeks after the journey, was able to meet Matthews again in person. The pair were reunited alongside Donna following what the operator described as several weeks of rest and recovery.
The company said the meeting included “emotion and humour” and that Matthews and Sinclair had agreed to remain in contact following the incident.
Paying tribute to its driver, Glasgow Taxis said: “Charlie, we are immensely proud of you and, Jake, we wish you well for a safe and strong recovery in the fullness of time.”
The operator also credited NHS staff at Stobhill Hospital for their emergency intervention, adding: “Our thanks also to the NHS staff at Stobhill who ultimately saved Jake’s life.”
