Grandmother celebrating golden anniversary after heart attack

Diane Claydon, 73, suffered both a cardiac arrest and heart attack in quick succession last August.

Doctors told her family not to expect the grandmother-of-one to recover.

But, eleven months after her heart stopped, she and her husband Derek, 79, are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and are planning a family trip to Florida.

Diane was making breakfast in her Bishopstoke home on the morning of August 26, 2023, when she suddenly collapsed.

Her son Daniel, 33, jumped to her mum's rescue.

She was rushed to Southampton General Hospital, where she remained for a month.

The mum-of-two, who said it “wasn’t her time”, said: “I just want to be here with my family. After what happened to me, in which I died, you realise nothing else which you think matters actually matters.”

Derek and Diane Claydon's wedding in 1974 (Image: Provided)

Derek, who formerly owned his own catering company, said: “I was upstairs getting ready for my doctor’s appointment when I heard a bang.

“I thought it was one of the kiddies who had dropped something but never I didn’t hear any of them cry which made me think something was wrong.”

Their son, Daniel, was the first to notice Diane had collapsed in the kitchen.

“I came downstairs, and Daniel was doing compressions and had already dialled 999”, the 79-year-old said.

Paramedics were called as well as the Air Ambulance’s critical care team, who proceeded to rush Diane to Southampton General Hospital.

READ MORE: Paramedics praised as boy, 15, suffers cardiac arrest at leisure centre gym

'Didn't look good'

Diane, who had triple bypass surgery the previous April, remained in the intensive care unit.

Days later, she had a heart attack and her family were told to expect the worst.

“They took us to a room”, Derek recalled, “and they told us she had a heart attack and that it didn’t look good.”

At one point they were told not to expect her to recover.

After some days, she eventually had a cardiac defibrillator fitted and woke up in the hospital.

She left on September 20.

'It simply wasn't my time'

She said: “During that time when I was unconscious, I remember having vivid dreams about my brother who had passed away in 2020. I was in the hospital and could see him waiting in the room next door.

“I have been told by many people that it simply wasn’t my time.”

Almost a year later, and with Derek recovering from a recent heart valve replacement, the relieved couple are now celebrating their 50th anniversary with a meal with the family.

Derek and Diane Claydon have collected both times they were featured in the Echo on their anniversary (Image: NQ, Jose Ramos)

The couple have collected both times they were featured in the Echo on their anniversary.

When asked what he wants to do to celebrate the milestone, Derek said: “I want to take my kids on a holiday. I want to take the kiddies back to Cyprus and Florida.”

Meanwhile, Dianne added: “I just want to be here with my family. After what happened to me, in which I died, you realise nothing else which you think matters actually matters.”