Stories
January 12, 2026
Joshua’s morning started like any other, until suddenly it wasn’t. He found himself struggling to breathe. “It felt like I had a full breath of air, but only half the lung capacity,” he recalls. With a history of heart issues, he knew something wasn’t right.
He checked his blood pressure at home, which was 190/170. It was “way too high,” he says.
Joshua phoned for help, and very soon the local Fire and Emergency New Zealand crew arrived along with the Auckland Westpac Rescue helicopter crew who performed an ECG inside his home, quickly picking up concerning abnormalities and extremely high blood pressure. “They were amazing,” Joshua says.
The fire crew drove Joshua and our medical team to Blackpool School, where the helicopter was waiting.
Once inside the rescue helicopter, Joshua immediately felt at ease.
“The culture of the crew is incredible. I’ve always admired the discipline of aviators, and when you mix that with medical expertise, it’s inspiring. They knew everything that needed to happen before they even landed. You instantly feel like you’re in very safe hands.”
After being transported to hospital, Joshua spent five weeks receiving treatment while specialists worked to understand why he kept experiencing heart attacks, despite being on heavy medication.
Eventually, haematology specialists discovered the cause - a genetic blood condition causing his blood to clot inside his heart.
“It explains twelve years of trying to control my blood pressure and the worsening attacks. It was scary not knowing when the next one would happen. Now at least I have answers and proper treatment.” he says.
“The rescue helicopters are so important. New Zealand is so spread out, without them, you’d be hours away from help. I’m very grateful for the crew and the level of professionalism they showed. They’re incredible.”
Joshua hopes others will understand the impact of the importance of the service that helped save his life.
“If my story helps even a little, I’m happy to share it.”
