Tribute paid to Willenhall army veteran
Popular local figure Tom Lewis collapsed while inside Ladbrokes bookmakers shortly after 11am last Wednesday
Police officers in Willenhall battled to save the life of an army veteran who tragically died after suffering a heart attack in the town centre.
Popular local figure Tom Lewis collapsed while inside Ladbrokes bookmakers shortly after 11am last Wednesday (13 August), while the team were carrying out patrols as part of their Safer Street initiative.
Sergeant Paul Smith and PC Matt Smith rushed to Ladbrokes and began carrying out CPR on Mr Lewis, taking it in turns until paramedics arrived at the scene.
Mr Lewis, aged 83, was taken to New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton by ambulance but sadly died later in the evening, at around 7.30pm.
Mr Lewis had been in the army during the 1960’s serving as an ammunitions technician for the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and spent time in both Cyprus and Germany.
He later worked as a security guard before working in a local foundry. He was a familiar face around Willenhall having lived in the town all his life and was known for his friendly and fun personality.
His son Philip Lewis said: “My dad loved to come into Willenhall and have a couple of pints in the pub. He would have a chat to people in the street, he would have time for everyone. He was a lovely friendly man who always had a joke for you. Admittedly, some of them were lame jokes but that’s what made it funnier.
“My dad enjoyed a bet on the horses and it was in the bookmakers where he collapsed.”
Philip said he wanted to thank the officers and paramedics for their efforts to save his dad and was grateful that he was able to get to the hospital to see his dad before he passed away.
He added: "Thanks to the fantastic efforts from police officers and ambulance crews who carried out CPR, my dad was kept alive and this enabled myself, his sister Diane and his brother Arthur to get to the hospital in time and to see him before he passed away. I am so grateful to them for doing all they could for him and would also like to thank the staff at Ladbrokes for all their help too.
“My dad will be greatly missed. He was very close to his grandson Sam – my dad adored him. He will now be reunited with my mom Margaret who died 13 years ago.”
Sergeant Paul Smith, neighbourhood policing supervisor, for Willenhall, said: “It was a very sad day for myself and the other officers involved. We tried our very best to save Mr Lewis, taking it in turns to carry out CPR until paramedics arrived. It was a team effort.
“We are sorry the ending couldn’t have been a happier one but it is comforting to find out Philip was able to see his father in hospital before he passed away.”