A family from Oldham say their world has been turned upside down after their fit and healthy 'strongman' father suddenly stopped breathing and is still fighting for his life.
Matthew Livesey, from Shaw, suffered a cardiac arrest "completely out of the blue" on Monday, March 25.
The 42-year-old father of two, who is passionate about health and fitness and participates in strongman training six days a week, has been in Manchester Royal Infirmary ever since.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts
The harrowing ordeal unfolded at the family's home on a seemingly ordinary Monday afternoon as Matthew had been training in his garage gym.
Lisa Livesey said her husband then came into the house holding his left arm and reported feeling "excruciating" chest pains.
However, while he put the pain down to indigestion and thought it had worn off, moments after catching some fresh air he sat down and his "head went back".
Lisa said: "He just instantly stopped breathing and there was foam coming out of his mouth."
Matthew's 20-year-old son, Kain, then sprung into action and gave him chest compressions after he couldn't feel a pulse.
Meanwhile, Lisa cleared his airways and made the frantic call to emergency services.
She then said a neighbour, a nurse called Miriam Jones, rushed over to help to give Matthew CPR until the ambulance arrived.
Emergency crews from four ambulances and an air ambulance quickly arrived at the scene and paramedics worked around the clock to save Matthew's life.
It took around two hours until he was stable enough to be transported to hospital.
Lisa said: "It was horrendous to watch.
"It was horrific. He's the strongest man in our lives, we wouldn't think anything like that could happen to him.
"He works out a lot, not just with heavy weights but all kinds of floor work and stretches, he's as fit as a fiddle.
"He eats so healthy - we're just in absolute, unbelievable shock."
When in the hospital, Matthew was taken to surgery where doctors fitted a stent after finding a blockage in one of his arteries.
But he also has a severe case of aspiration pneumonia and fluid on his lungs, which is preventing medics from being able to lift Matthew out of his induced coma.
Fortunately, early CT scans have ruled out brain damage though Lisa said a recent ECG shows he might have suffered "some" damage, the extent of which they don't know until he wakes up.
Previous efforts to bring him out of the coma have been distressing but promising for the family as they said he turned his head to look at them and held his children's hands before choking and vomiting.
The mother of two said it was "fantastic" to look into his eyes again and described the moment as a "magic glimmer of hope" before doctors had to sedate him back into a coma.
Lisa, who describes Matthew as her "soulmate" after more than 24 years together, has stayed by his bedside every day since along with his other devoted family members, his mother, Carol, son, Kain, and 27-year-old daughter, Courtney.
His wife has also had to give up work to be by his side, adding: "He's fully functioning autistic, he's not a people person. It's my voice he's used to hearing and until he's up and around, I want him to know that I'm here.
"I hope he can hear, if he can hear, familiar voices around him.
"I'm hoping he comes back as bright as he went in, but it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. He's still a very, very poorly man."
Doctors are now planning to install a tracheotomy in his neck to help him breathe when they attempt to bring him back around again.
Lisa continued: "They have said he is strong, his heart is now strong. He's such a big and strong lad, he's got enough sedatives to take an elephant down.
"He's definitely got the fighting spirit in him. His body wants to wake up but it's too exhausting for him.
"He wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for Kain and the lady across the road - and we were about five minutes from going out.
"Miriam was still working on him with the ambulance team for two hours, she did absolutely fantastic.
"My son is only 20, it's a massive thing to do on his own dad when he's just seen him stop breathing."
Friends have also rallied around the family and have donated more than £1,000 to help support them with bills, food and hospital trips on a JustGiving page.
Writing regular updates on the fundraiser, Matthew's mum, Carol, said the past week has been "one of the worst you could imagine" where "one minute you're full of hope and the next, you're an inconsolable mess that can hardly breathe because of all the tears".
When asked how the family is coping, Lisa added: "It's like a rollercoaster ride at the moment, you feel like you're in limbo.
"We all have days when you can be strong and then other days you just go to pieces.
"Your mind is constantly going - my head's doing somersaults.
"I'm just trying to stay positive for myself and the kids. I've got to try and stay strong.
"I come home and have my little cries in bed at night. You just try and hold it together.
"We all just want him home and well."
Donations can be made to support Matthew's family on the JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/carol-west-1Matthewl
Got a story? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here