HUBBARDS, N.S. -- A couple from Hubbards, N.S. is crediting a group of employees at a Halifax hardware store for saving a man's life.
Michele Coons says when her husband, Tim Biggin, left for Halifax last week, she never thought he may never come home.
"Somebody was looking out for him that day," said Coon.
Biggin had an appointment in the city to have X-rays done after experiencing a burning sensation in his chest for the last month.
While waiting for a prescription, Biggin decided to run to the Canadian Tire store in Bayer's Lake.
According to Coons, security footage shows him heading to the sporting goods section before he collapsed.
"He didn't reach out for anything," explained Coons. "He didn't sway or get woozy or anything. He just dropped and apparently, he had, he didn't have a heart attack, he had a sudden cardiac arrest, so the paramedics said he probably died before he hit the floor."
One employee heard Biggin fall and immediately called 911. Coons says that's when the general manager of the hardware store stepped in to help.
"He immediately checked for a pulse, checked for a breath, nothing. (He) grabbed the AED machine, used the device and started his heart, shocked his heart and started CPR," said Coons.
Coons says the ambulance arrived in about 12 minutes. During that time, the stores employees physically lined up to help save her husband's life.
"Some other staff members had gathered around, standing in line, waiting to take their turn because of course, it's physically draining to do CPR," said Coons.
Biggin ended up having an angiogram and doctors put three stents into major arteries.
He is scheduled to be released from hospital on Monday, when he hopes to go to the Canadian Tire store to personally thank the employees that saved his life.
Coons says she did go to the store the following day to thank the staff members, adding she is confident their actions are why her husband is still here today.
She says she hopes to see more defibrillators in public spaces, saying her husband is proof that they do save lives.
