- Published:
- Tuesday 2 December 2025 at 1:57 pm
A quiet Sunday night at home turned critical when father-of-three James Bennett suddenly suffered a stroke – highlighting the urgency of recognising the signs.
As James slid off his chair and the right side of his face drooped, his wife, Alisa, and daughter, Ellie recognised the stroke symptoms and immediately called Triple Zero (000).
Ellie, a fourth-year medical student, was at home and cared for her dad until Ambulance Victoria (AV) Northcote Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedics Harley Gillion and Sal Singh arrived.
Harley and Sal provided critical care to James, before urgently transporting him to the Royal Melbourne Hospital under lights and sirens.
They called ahead to ensure the stroke team was ready and met them on arrival, enabling seamless and immediate continuation of care.
Within an hour and a half of having the stroke, James miraculously regained full limb control and speech.
After spending two nights in hospital, James was able to return home to his loved ones.
Recently reuniting with the paramedics who helped save his life, Sal and Harley were thrilled to see James had recovered so well.
“As paramedics, we often don’t know the outcome of our patients.
“It's incredible to see James and know he is back home with his family. It was a privilege to meet with him under better circumstances,” Sal said.
Harley said the stars perfectly aligned and the ambulance and hospital worked together to deliver a fantastic patient outcome.
“Strokes can be devastating, so it’s great to see James have a second chance,” he said.
As a way to show his gratitude, James made a generous donation to AV.
“Every contribution - big or small - goes towards investing in advanced training tools, specialised equipment and resources, which help paramedics provide best care to the community,” AV Northcote Team Manager Gina Bransgrove said.
James said he feels “back to normal” since his stroke.
In July, he enjoyed celebrating Alisa’s 60th birthday with close family and friends.
“I am an incredibly lucky person. The stroke sent me a message to make a few lifestyle changes, including exercising, that will help me continue living a healthy life.
“I’ll be forever grateful to the paramedics and hospital team who saved my life,” he said.
Ambulance Victoria encourages Victorians to familiarise themselves with the F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) stroke signs.
Updated