David Raymer contacted Scilly News with a heart-felt thanks to the First Responders of St Martin’s. The first responders arrive on “the scene” before the St Mary’s emergancy services and try to do the best they can with the circumstances. Mr Raymer thanks them for their help when his wife became critically ill.
He writes: “My wife Betty had been coming to the Islands since 1958 in various guises as a single girl, a wife and a mother and latterly as a grandmother. Throughout all of those years she became very attached to St Martin’s calling it her spiritual home, She felt very relaxed in the environment and over many years made many good friends.
“Over the last two years we had been visiting the island with extended family staying at lower town, enjoying the weather and the clean air.
“This year was very special because we were introducing new people to the joys of the Isles, a brother of mine and his wife had accepted our invitation to join us for the second week, the first week having been taken up by immediate family. We had the pleasure of very good weather and we were able to show off our island! the sights and sounds of a very relaxing time was had until the early hours of Friday the 4th June when Betty suffered a fatal heart attack.
“The week had been tremendous with a fantastic sun set over Round Island with a greenflash phenomena being seen by my brother, the honeysuckle was in full bloom and smelt so sweet. The trip to St Marys on Thursday had been culminated with a view of the Lands End peninusular from the launch as we negotiated the sound back to St Martin’s. It was so clear that you could see the houses on the cliff tops.
“The 1st responders who attended on that Friday morning will have for all time my deepest gratitude, they were with us in minutes from the 999 call and attempted for over 40 minutes to maintain Betty’s viability but unfortunately to no avail. The doctor from St Marys was with as soon as possible and the new launch took only 10 minutes to reach the island once it left the harbour.
“Having been in the situation of the 1st responders on many occasions as a police officer I was so impressed by their professionalism and dedication and cannot thank them enough for there attention. They provide a vital part of the emergency service on the island and need all the encouragement and support they can get.
“I would like publicly to say thank you To Andrew, Mandy, Helen and Keith and David for the special support on that terrible morning. Also the fantastic support and help they gave to the wider family when we returned to say good bye to Betty.
“Part of Betty will remain forever on the Island and it is my hope that I return on many occasions to say thank you to the many islanders who made the last week so enjoyable to us all.”