Fate and intuition helped a manager save the life of a hospital worker after he fell seriously ill with meningitis while he was at home alone.
Eddie Butler, who works as a Waste Operative at Medway Maritime Hospital, called his manager James Heather and asked him for a lift in to work the next day as the rear window of his car had been smashed.
But when James, who lives in Rainham, went to pick Eddie up from his home nearby there was no response.
James, who works as a Supervisor for Transport and Waste at the hospital, said: “I messaged Eddie to say I was outside but I got no response. I tried calling but there was no answer. I drove to work but something just didn’t feel right. Eddie is extremely hard-working and even if he isn’t feeling well he always lets me know as quickly as he can.
“I messaged him a few more times while I was at work but I didn’t get a reply so I decided to drive to his house again and do a welfare check. I knocked on the door but there was no answer. I remembered he’d said to me once that his partner worked at a bakery in Rainham, so I drove there to let her know that I was worried about him.”
Shortly after arriving back at work James received a call from Elaine saying she had gone home and found Eddie in bed and unresponsive. He was taken by ambulance to Medway Maritime Hospital where tests revealed he had meningitis.
Meningitis can cause life-threatening sepsis and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves if not treated quickly. But thanks to James raising the alarm and Elaine finding him, Eddie has gone on to make a full recovery, even returning to work four weeks and one day after he was found severely unwell.
Eddie, 60, from Rainham, said: “After James kindly agreed to pick me up for work I went to bed as I was feeling unwell with a headache.
“I don’t remember anything after that but both James and Elaine filled in the gaps for me about what happened.
“James is a very caring person and manager. If it wasn’t for him going to find Elaine and her coming home I wouldn’t have been found until gone 3pm. I don’t know what the outcome would have been if that had been the case so I’m extremely grateful to James for going above and beyond.”
The dad of four added: “I always spend Christmas with Elaine and my family so it certainly gave us all something to celebrate. I’m now looking forward to what 2025 has to bring.
“A huge thank you to James and the rest of my colleagues for all of the support they have given me since I returned to work.”
“I don’t really believe in fate,” James said.
“However, if the rear window on Eddie’s car hadn’t been smashed the day before and if he hadn’t asked me to pick him up I would never have known where he lived, and if he hadn’t mentioned in conversation where Elaine worked the outcome could have been very different.
“There’s a real family feeling in our department and everybody looks after each other. I know my staff inside and out and I just knew something was wrong. It’s my job to make sure my staff are as safe as possible so I’m glad I trusted my instincts and went to check on Eddie.”
ENDS
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