Collapse on the pitch

Linesman says “thank you” to his lifesavers

Linesman Helmut (center) with his rescuers Christian and Aaron

(Bild: Rotes Kreuz Salzburg)

Two spectators saved the life of linesman Helmut during a national league match: The assistant referee had suffered a respiratory-circulatory arrest. However, the two men were able to resuscitate him. Now, nine months later, Helmut met his rescuers and said "Thank you".

It was August 12, 2023 in Koppl. USV Koppl was playing SV Grödig 1B on the soccer pitch in a match of the 2nd Landesliga Nord. But suddenly the linesman collapsed. Two attentive spectators, Christian and Aaron, reacted immediately and correctly: "I ran off and immediately started resuscitation," the Red Cross quoted him as saying in a press release. "We then took turns until the rescue team arrived," added the second first aider.

Dicey moments on the pitch

Ten minutes after the alarm was raised, the Red Cross paramedics and emergency helicopter were at the soccer pitch. Resuscitation was continued and the patient was taken to hospital as quickly as possible. "For me, this is now my second birthday. But I don't remember the day itself, it's all like it's been erased," says the linesman. After several weeks in intensive care, Helmut is now back on the soccer pitch, but only as a spectator.

A "thank you" at the meeting

On Tuesday evening, there was a meeting between linesman Helmut and his lifesavers and the emergency services. "It means a lot to me to get to know my lifesavers and to be able to thank them personally," said Helmut. The two first responders at the time were also delighted that "Helmut has recovered so well".