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A Blackpool man who collapsed and stopped breathing in his shower is alive thanks to his quick-thinking carer who knew exactly how to save him.

Stefan Harding, 47, had felt fine when he went for his morning shower on Monday Sept 12, 2022, but as he stepped out he lost consciousness.

The South Shore man has a life-threatening condition and sometimes stops breathing while carrying out basic tasks.

Alina Chiriac, his carer of six years, heard the thud at 9.30am and rushed to his aid.

Stefan Harding wants to thank his carer Alina Chiriac for saving his life when she found him collapsed in the bathroom. Stefan, who is from Blackpool, suffers from a rare condition which results in him sometimes passing out while carrying out basic tasks.

Stefan, who lives on Hemmingway, said: “She put me in the recovery position, got my oxygen from the other room, and called an ambulance and vitaline. She kept so calm. If it wasn't for her actions and not panicking it would have been a different outcome. She really saved my life.”

The former firefighter was ‘turning blue’ when Alina found him.

He was revived by paramedics who then took him to Blackpool Victoria Hospital for observations.

Alina visits Stefan twice a day to help with medications, physio and housework.

Alina Chiriac, carer who saved the life of Stefan Harding

She said: “[I moved] very quick. It was only after the ambulance arrived that I realised what I’d done and that I’d saved his life. If you think about it you get panicked, so I had to keep myself calm.”

She also used an epi-pen on Stefan - a preventative for when his breathing gets really bad.

“It hasn’t been that bad since Alina’s been working for me, until the other day.”

Stefan contracted bilateral pneumonia in 2012, and his health has deteriorated since then.

Stefan Harding with his carer, Alina Chiriac, who saving his life when she found him collapsed in the bathroom

This is when the £150 disability cost of living payment will drop into the bank ...

The previously fit man now lives with multiple health conditions, including chronic brittle asthma, COPD, heart failure, angina, and a condition where his brain forgets to send messages to his lungs.

Stefan, who moved to Blackpool to be with his girlfriend, said: “I kept going to the doctors in Telford and they kept saying it was just a cold but one day I collapsed outside my house and my neighbour found me. It all started from there.”

Although he recovered from pneumonia it left him with damaged lungs which eventually put pressure on his heart.

He is now on palliative care and takes a mixture of nebulisers, saline, inhalers and medication to keep him alive.

So having Alina as his carer has been a lifeline - after some bad experiences with an agency.

“They kept sending different people. Sometimes they didn’t show up, one kept missing calls. Some of my meds are time critical, so it wasn’t working for me. Having the same carers means I don’t have to keep explaining my conditions and medication all the time.”

He heard about Direct Payments, which allowed him to receive cash payments from the local authority instead of care services.

Disabled adults can access a personal budget based on the amount of money it would cost the local authority to meet the assessed eligible social care needs.

The cash payments means that Stefan is now able to employ his own carers to suit his personal needs.

“I want to show that carers do great work, they're not just dogs' bodies. She really saved my life and she deserves some recognition.

If you are interested in becoming a personal assistant for a person in the community please contact [email protected]

Blackpool man with a chronic lung disease thanks the care worker who rushed to his aid when he collapsed