A grandfather who collapsed in the street has been reunited with the stranger who saved his life.

Trevor Foster suffered a cardiac arrest outside a motorcycle shop, near the Lockmeadow Complex in Maidstone.

Our sister paper the Kent Messenger reported how passer-by Ricky Potter rushed to the aid of the 60-year-old, performing CPR which saved his life.

Trevor came home from hospital recently after major heart surgery and was able to meet 28-year-old Ricky, a former RAF Gunner, for the first time this week – exactly seven weeks after he collapsed.

Trevor said: “It was so good to meet him. He sat down with me and told me what had happened because I still have a mental blank. I can’t remember anything about that day.

“I was very lucky Ricky was there. I collapsed outside where there was someone with 10 years’ medical experience. He was working on me for 20 minutes and I actually died three times. Top doctors have told me what Ricky did is unheard of. ”

He added: “I’m so grateful to the intensive care team at Maidstone hospital. They couldn’t do enough for me. The care I have received has been unbelievable. Ricky kept me going and they have brought me back from death.”

Trevor is delighted to be home in time for daughter Laura’s wedding today and will be well enough to walk her down the aisle. Personal trainer Ricky, who lives in Strood, has been invited to the evening reception.

Trevor, who has run his own driving school for 19 years, said: “He doesn’t have to worry about not knowing anyone. There will be people lining up to shake his hand and thank him.”

Trevor, who lives in Rainham, put the finishing touches to his father-of-the-bride speech from his hospital bed after undergoing a quadruple heart bypass and being fitted with an internal defibrillator to restart his heart if needed. He has nicknamed the life-saving device ‘little Ricky’.

Trevor, who has played for Holcombe Hockey Club for 23 years, said: “I have always played sport and played to the best of my ability so that’s how I looked on this.

"I set myself a goal, I promised to be at the wedding and that’s what I was going to do. It is something I have fought for.

“I told everyone who treated me, all the doctors and nurses, and made them keep it on my notes that I had to be well enough for my daughter’s wedding on November 19.”

Trevor’s family have kept all of the Messenger newspaper cuttings about what happened after he collapsed on September 26 and the Facebook appeal to track Ricky down.

He said: “Because I have always played sport I have loved keeping the cuttings. So I have these ones to keep too.

"It is ironic really - seeing a front page about myself which is about something I cannot remember anything about.”

“So many people have seen the articles, I keep having people say to me ‘oh, you’re famous’.”