Local hero: Asda’s David Sharkey praised for life saving actions

Asda Coleraine Night Shift Leader, David Sharkey, has been praised for saving an elderly man’s life after he found him lying on the pavement.

David, who has worked in Asda for 12 years, was on his way home from his shift in the early hours of Saturday morning, when he spotted a man lying outside on the ground.

David said,

“I was just a few minutes from home when, as I turned a corner, I noticed what I thought was a figure by the side of the road. Straight away I just knew something wasn’t right. It was a freezing cold morning, so I reversed back and got out of the car to check what was happening.”

David found an elderly gentleman, who had fallen outside a few hours before and could not manage to get up on his own. David continued:

“I got him into the car and cranked up the heat to warm him up. At this point, I had no idea how long he had been outside. I drove him around the area, hoping he’d recognise his house or street, but he seemed disorientated and unsure of where we were.

“He was probably in his late 80s, and I didn’t want to take any chances – especially if he had bumped his head, so I drove him straight to A&E. When we arrived, the nurses came out to help me bring him inside. I explained what had happened, and they were so thankful I brought him in.

“The next time I went into work, I found out the man’s daughter had called the store looking for me, as she wanted to thank me too. I was glad to be able to help, I didn’t think twice about it really, I was just doing the right thing.”

The man’s daughter said:

“David was a lifesaver. God knows where my dad would’ve ended up if David wasn’t there. It was a freezing morning and my dad’s nearly 90!

“I work night shifts too and when I’m heading home, my only thought is getting straight into bed. The fact that David took the time to stop, check on my dad and help him the way he did, it means everything to us. He was an absolute star.

“Someone at the hospital noticed my dad’s rescuer was wearing an Asda uniform, so I rang up hoping to thank him, we ended up speaking on the phone for about an hour. Even after all he had already done for us, his main concern was making sure my dad was alright.

“Thankfully, my dad is out of hospital now and back home, safe and sound. David has rung me a few more times to see how my dad is. We truly cannot thank David enough and we need more people like him in the community!”