A QUICK-thinking good Samaritan saved the life of a man who took a stroke in Gourock town centre.

John McDade was on his way to the Post Office when he suddenly became gravely unwell outside the chemist in Shore Street.

While onlookers walked on by — wrongly assuming that he was drunk — an alert person noticed that John was in trouble and immediately rushed to his aid John’s family say the man, who they believe is called Gordon, saved his life.
They are now desperate to trace Gordon so they can thank him as John, pictured, recovers in hospital.

His wife Jane said: “I was in the house when it happened. John had gone out at 9.10am to the Post Office.

“Then my neighbour was ringing my door bell.

“It was devastating and I just couldn’t understand what was happening. 

“But the man who helped my husband saved his life.

“If he had not stopped to help my husband, he wouldn’t have lived. 

“I would just love to thank him from the bottom of my heart and give him a big hug.”

Jane’s daughter-in-law Emma McLennan agrees that Gordon is a hero.

She said: “John suffers from Ménière’s disease, a disorder that affects the inner ear which can make him feel dizzy and sick, so he initially thought he was having a Ménière’s attack.

“But he was actually having a stroke.

“Luckily this man noticed John and came over to help him.

“While he was trying to help John another guy walked past and said ‘why are you bothering with him, he’s drunk’.

“The last thing he managed to get out of John was his address so he took him home, but he collapsed in the car park outside.

“Gordon phoned an ambulance and when the paramedics arrived he was in a bad way.

“If he had not been there then John would have died.”

John, who is in his late 50s, is now in the stroke unit at Inverclyde Royal.

Emma, who is married to John’s stepson Scott, added: “The stroke has affected him as his speech is very bad and his face has dropped.

“He also can’t use the left-hand side of his body, and some of the right-hand side, and he has double vision in his left eye.”

But Jane says her husband is ‘a fighter’ who will battle all the way to recover.

She said: “My husband is trying his hardest to get himself better.

“He has a long road to go.”

John’s family are keen to thank Gordon face to face but they are struggling to contact him and have turned to the Tele for help.

Jane is also keen to thank Frankie Hanson and her husband Mark who helped on the day.

Gordon can make contact with the family on 07961 773861.