Colleagues at our Llandudno store were moved to receive a thank you note from a boy they helped when he had a seizure during one of his regular shopping trips with his family – so they invited him in for a surprise treat.
Eight-year-old Ioan Owen, who has epilepsy, was looked after by our trained first aider Lewis Cole and two off-duty nurses when he was taken ill in the store on New Year's Eve.
While he was recovering, Ioan wrote Lewis a thank you letter saying: "To Lewis, thank you for helping me when I was poorly in Asda. Lots of love to you from me Ioan Owen xxx."
Ioan's since made a full recovery and, now he's well enough, he called in to the store with his mum Judith to thank Lewis in person. Colleagues gave Ioan a basket full of goodies to wish him well.
Seeing Lewis again was an emotional moment for Judith, who gave him a big hug.
She said: "Lewis was absolutely brilliant with Ioan when he had the seizure, and I couldn’t be more grateful to him for being there and performing first aid when it was needed.
"Ioan wanted to say thank you in person, but was bed-bound for a little while after the seizure with migraines. So, he wrote the letter to let Lewis know that he really appreciated everything he did that day.
"It was great for him to see Lewis again and be able to say thank you in person."
Lewis, who's a porter at the store, explained what happened when Ioan was taken ill.
He said: "Ioan started having a seizure in the cafe and I was radioed in from the car park. When I got there two female customers, who happened to be nurses, were helping him.
"We wanted to take him somewhere quieter so took him over to the pharmacy. He was semi-conscious so we made him comfortable. He then improved a little so we sat him on a chair and just composed him. We spoke to his dad too and he then took him to hospital in the car.
"I was touched to receive the letter a few weeks later to say thank you, because I was just doing what any trained first aider would have done in that situation.
"Ioan is such a cheerful little boy and it was great to see him fit and well when he came back into the store with his family."
