Heart attack victim Richard Hobson is on the mend - thanks to an Army medic from almost 5,000 miles away.
And Richard admits he owes his life to the skills of Dr Peter Coldwell, who is a Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard.
By sheer coincidence, he was on hand when 61-year-old Richard became unwell while helping to build a charity bonfire at Denby Dale Cricket Club.
Ironically, it was part of a fundraising drive to fit a lifesaving defibrillator at the village club.
Dr Coldwell realised Richard was in trouble, called an ambulance and helped him until the paramedics arrived.
Richard then suffered a massive heart attack as he was placed in the ambulance but was revived by Dr Coldwell and the crew using their defibrillator.
He underwent heart surgery in hospital but has now returned home to recuperate - and to continue the push for a defibrillator.
“I never thought I’d become an extreme fundraiser”, he joked.
“It was a sheer fluke that Peter was there. He was visiting a cousin in Denby Dale and she brought him down to the cricket club to help prepare for our annual community bonfire.
“I was carrying wood across the field to the bonfire site when I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I felt awful and went to sit outside the club, on the roller.
“Peter took one look at me and said: ‘You’re not too good’
“Before I knew it, he had called an ambulance and then when I collapsed, he worked with the ambulance crews as I had a full-blown cardiac arrest.
“They rushed me on a blue light to the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield and they found the left ventricle on my heart was blocked. I underwent surgery and they put in a stent and I hope to make a full recovery”.
Richard spent 10 years as a Police Community Support Officer in Denby Dale and now retired and living in Clayton West with his wife Christine. They have a daughter Fay.
He has played cricket at Denby Dale since the age of six and is now chairman.
Dr Coldwell, who is now back in the States, has been in the National Guard for 27 years and has seen active service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He works as an A &E doctor.
It was an incident last August when a young boy playing for Warwickshire Under 14s against Yorkshire at the Denby Dale ground was hit on the head that the fundraising campaign was hatched.
“The boy was hit by a ball and we called an ambulance, but t took ages to arrive,” said Richard.
“We thought then as we are in a remote place a defibrillator was a good idea and set about fundraising.
“The bonfire was one of many events and the last one is this Sunday afternoon, with a Christmas fair.
“What happened to me came without warning and who knows whose life will need saving next time."
