Bernard hails heroes who saved his life

Golf legend Bernard Gallacher has revealed medics restarted his heart three times as they battled to save him from a cardiac arrest.

The Sunday Post columnist and ex-Ryder Cup captain was discharged from hospital on Friday more than two weeks after collapsing as he was about to give an after-dinner speech at an Aberdeen hotel.

Doctors are still baffled as to what caused his heart to stop but have since implanted a defibrillator in his chest that will re-start his heart automatically if it happens again.

Bernard, 64, said he owes his life to medics who treated him, including three nurses who were in the room when he collapsed.

He also revealed his family, including Sky Sports host daughter Kirsty and son Jamie, slept on couches at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for a week as they kept a bedside vigil.

The grandfather-of-two has been told he can’t drive for six months and shouldn’t play golf for four months “as a precaution”.

But he has no lasting effects from his brush with death and is expected to make a full recovery.

Speaking from his London home last night, he said: “Golf is off the menu for a while but considering I was dead a few weeks ago it’s amazing to know I’ll get back to a normal life soon. Anyway, it’s not too big a hardship. Winter is coming!”

Bernard said he was feeling well right up to his collapse at the Marcliffe Hotel on August 29.

He said: “I had no pain, no warning of what was coming. People said I suddenly collapsed. They said it looked like I’d been floored by a boxer.

“Three nurses gave me immediate help. The Marcliffe Hotel had a defibrillator on site which was incredibly lucky. If it hadn’t been there I wouldn’t be here. These people saved my life.”

Bernard was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where medics lowered his body temperature in a process called therapeutic hypothermia to save his brain from injury.

He had just been on holiday in Spain with wife Lesley and daughter Kirsty. They were still abroad when he collapsed and had to race by plane to get to his bedside.

The family waited five days for him to regain consciousness and feared they might have lost him. But they were overjoyed when he slowly came round over three days.

Bernard said staff at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary had been “incredible” throughout and joked: “If you’re going to have a heart attack anywhere, have it in Aberdeen.”

He also said he and the family had been overwhelmed by the support they received. He said: “Family, friends and even total strangers kept us going with their good wishes. My family in Scotland were a great help.

“People called the hospital and left messages of support. We also got sent loads of cards and flowers. It’s been very touching.”

He also received support from a host of celebrity pals including golfers Sam Torrance, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, among others.

The family also got daily calls from Strictly Come Dancing host Bruce Forsyth who was keen to check in on his pal and from golfer and Strictly contestant Tony Jacklin.

Bernard said: “A friend let us use their private plane to fly home when I was discharged. Someone handed me a phone on the plane and it was Tony calling to see how I was.

“He was rehearsing his dancing at the time. It was really emotional.”

He’s also been perked up after he got a signed top from his favourite English football club Fulham. But he was quick to joke that he’s waiting on something similar from his favourite Scottish club Hibs.