The Mirror has campaigned for more defibrillators in public places. Our Pride of Britain winners Sergio and Emma Petrucci’s Red Sky Foundation raised £180,000 to pay for the latest machines.
Sergio Petrucci with Durham Police who gladly received the defibrillators
Two Pride of Britain winners presented 140 defibrillators to a police force as they continue saving lives with their incredible fundraising.
Restart A Heart Day had special meaning in Durham, where 140 police response vehicles were fitted with the life-saving kit. The Mirror has campaigned hard to see more defibrillators across the nation, especially in public places. Our Pride of Britain winners from last year Sergio and Emma Petrucci’s Red Sky Foundation raised £180,000 to pay for the latest machines.
Sergio, 49, and his wife Emma, 43, have raised huge sums of money to save lives across the country. He met with charity supporter Steve Cram at Durham police HQ, and said: “This will ultimately save lives.
Sergio Petrucci continues to raise funds(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)
“As a member of the public the worst thing you can do is do nothing in these situations. This means now that every police vehicle in the Durham force area will have this life saving device.”
Det Chief Insp Simon Turner, 42, Durham’s head of serious crime, told of how he suffered a heart attack at a gym in Newton Aycliffe in April.
“I would not be here without that machine,” he said. “I had an undiagnosed heart condition and had a cardiac arrest during a weights session. It was totally unexpected; the defibrillator saved me, they had staff trained in how to use it.
DCI Simon Turner of Durham Police(Image: Daily Mirror)
“I am so proud of the fact Durham police will now carry them in every vehicle.” Sergio and Emma represented the North east at Pride of Britain last year after raising £2.5m for their charity.
It supports babies, children and adults living with complex heart conditions. Cram, who has his own events firm, said: “We love Sergio, his team brings so much fun to our races.”
In June, Red Sky gave almost £200,000 to install 154 defibrillators in Northumbria Police vehicles. Sergio was “delighted” to say they had already saved 15 lives. He was inspired by the mum of Jamie Rees, 18, who suffered a cardiac arrest on New Year’s Eve 2021. It took 17.33 seconds to get an ambulance to him; he suffered catastrophic oxygen starvation when a defibrillator would have saved him.
Sergio and Emma Petrucci at the Palace(Image: PA)
He donated to save five lives through organ donation, including an eight-month baby girl who had a liver transplant when he tragically died on Jan 5, 2022.
His proud mum Naomi, 45, of Rugby, Warwickshire, wants defibrillators to be mandatory for every police force in the UK.
An employment law advisor met with Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson earlier this year. She said: “The requirement to have them needs to be enforced by law, it has to be mandatory.”
Joy Allen, Durham Police and Crime Commissioner, has pledged to offer her support.