An emotional Nikki Sanderson has heartbreakingly recalled the moment she witnessed her mother collapse in front of her and her brother, describing harrowing details that have stuck with her to this day.
The brave 41-year-old actress, famous for her roles in Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, found herself in an unimaginable situation when her mum Jude suffered two cardiac arrests in November 2021.
Opening up on BBC Morning Live in a poignant segment that aired on Wednesday (June 25), Nikki, who’s portrayed beloved characters like Maxine Minniver and Candy Stowe, shared her shock and despair: “I remember screaming to the operator, just begging ‘please help us’. We knew she’d gone but we desperately wanted her to come back.”
Chilling audio from the desperate 999 call was played, where Nikki, her brother James, and her partner Anthony Quinlan — known for his role as Pete Barton in Emmerdale — were guided by the call handler in a frantic effort to save her mum’s life.
The actress couldn’t hold back tears as they revisited the traumatic day, but due to her brother’s swift action in administering CPR, their mother Jude’s life was miraculously saved by the paramedics upon their swift arrival, reports the Mirror.
Later, within the documentary feature, Nikki came face-to-face with Howard Wolfenden, the paramedic first at the scene, to revisit the fearsome ordeal. In a consoling exchange, Howard confirmed the lifesaving impact of the family’s immediate actions, telling Nikki, “For you guys to do that CPR meant your mum’s chance of survival chances had just gone up exponentially.”
Jude and Nikki teamed up with Howard for a vital CPR refresher course, with Howard detailing the steps for potential life-saving situations.
Nikki’s mother Jude expressed deep gratitude: “I’m so thankful that everybody on that night pulled together and fought for me. I just wish everybody would learn CPR.”
Prior to her appearance on Morning Live, Nikki took to her Instagram to share an emotional clip from the documentary. Her caption read: “In 2021, my mum suffered two cardiac arrests and died in front of me and my brother.”
She continued, highlighting the miracle of her mum’s survival: “Thanks to CPR and the incredible paramedics not giving up, she is still alive today. I’ve made a film about what happened and the importance of CPR with @bbcmorninglive and it’s on tomorrow morning from 9:30am.”
Nikki emphasised the lifesaving power of CPR knowledge: “Knowing CPR and what to do in a situation like this could just save a loved one’s life… tune into @bbc one or watch on @bbciplayer.”