Phoebe’s Story

On 16th September 2025, we lost my dad, Dave, very unexpectedly and traumatically. It was just a normal Tuesday. He was 63 and extremely fit. He ran, played football, strength-trained, ate well, didn’t drink or smoke. He spent his life in physically demanding, lifesaving roles, the Navy, the fire brigade and mine rescue team. He had always been active, healthy and someone everyone relied on.

He taught me everything I know about looking after myself, which is a big reason I became a health and strength coach.

That day, he finished work as normal. On the way home, he suddenly became unwell. He pulled the car over and asked his colleague to drive him home, a decision that ultimately saved his colleague’s life. Even in that moment, I know he did it intentionally, because that’s who he was.

When he reached home, he ran inside, collapsed and told my mum to call an ambulance and for someone to get the nearest defibrillator. He took off his belt and shirt, he was trauma-trained, and I know he understood exactly what was happening.

When my brother went for the defibrillator, the emergency operator refused to release it because dad was still breathing at that moment. Soon after, he stopped. I managed to call a close friend nearby, and she found a defibrillator and reached us quickly. My mum started CPR, then my friend took over. The first ambulance arrived, then a doctor, then the Great North Air Ambulance team.

We had no idea it was a heart attack caused by a blockage from asymptomatic ischaemic heart disease, something none of us, including Dad, knew anything about. He had no symptoms or warning signs. Sometimes the fitter you are, the fewer symptoms you get.

They worked on him for 40 minutes, but they couldn’t save him. Dad died in my mum’s arms, with me, my brother Cam, and our dog Rupert beside him.

Dad dedicated his entire life to helping others, as a submariner, a fire brigade crew manager for 27 years, a Mine Rescue Technician, and most recently working with Northumbrian Water. He wasn’t just a dad to me and Cam, he was a role model to so many people. Over 300 people came to his funeral, including the fire engines and rescue teams he worked with.

I truly believe that my dad and many more fit and healthy people would still be here if we had better research and more awareness around ischaemic heart disease. Unfortunately, due to a lack of screenings and access to knowledge, my future now looks very different. Looking and feeling fit and healthy on the outside is just not enough. Asymptomatic ischaemic heart disease, and ischaemic heart disease as a whole, is something we didn’t even know existed until my dad died. Twenty-five percent of the population die from heart issues. We need more investment in research so that we can change these figures.

I don’t know how you’re supposed to navigate life losing a parent so young. I never imagined that at 35 I’d be planning my dad’s funeral or picturing a future without him physically in it. The pain is unlike anything I’ve ever known.

But I also know this isn’t the end of his journey. He will live on through his story, and if sharing what happened can save even one person’s life, it will be worth it. This has lit a fire in me, and I am determined to make something positive come from it.

I love talking about him. And by sharing what happened that night, I hope to raise awareness, push for more heart health screening, and give other families more time together. Dad spent his life helping people, and even now, I know he will continue to do that.