26/07/2026
Home shopping driver Nick from our Benton store used the medical knowledge he gained during 36 years in the RAF to care for an elderly man who he spotted had collapsed in the street in the recent heatwave.
Nick was on his rounds in the Forest Hall area of Newcastle on one of the hottest days of the year when he saw the gentleman stumble and bang his head while using a walking frame. Nick safely pulled his van over, rushed to help him, and called 999. He did a quick assessment to check he hadn't broken any bones before moving him to the shade and getting him to sit up.
Nick, who joined Asda two years ago after retiring as a warrant officer, said: "I used water from the van to dowse him on his front and back and made sure he drank some too. The heat that was coming from his central core was not normal. I wrote on the bottles what time I dowsed him, and marked how much water he'd taken in too. We do this on the battlefield and in deserts. Due to the heat he was in and out of consciousness, but I kept talking to him and reassuring him. He was wearing a Newcastle United top and I mentioned I was from Manchester and that I supported Manchester City and we joked about football."
Nick phoned the store to arrange for a second driver to come and take over his deliveries while he stayed with the gentleman until the ambulance arrived and took him to hospital. Nick, who's been nominated for an Asda service superstar award, said: "Helping him was just the right thing to do. I like to go above and beyond for our customers. I get a lot out of my job and I love helping my community."