A dad-of-three’s bedroom was turned into an operating theatre after he collapsed out of bed at four o’clock in the morning.

Giles Phillips was suffering from a life-threatening tear in his main artery leading from his heart but originally he and wife Chrissie thought he was having a stroke.

The 49-year-old said: “It was a normal evening, we had had pad-thai for dinner that night and I went to bed all fine.

“Then at four o’clock in the morning, I collapsed out of bed. I was making some unusual sounds and Chrissie realised things were not right and called for the ambulance service.”

When the paramedics arrived they also thought Giles was having a stroke as he was becoming agitated and confused.

However, when he collapsed again and fell unconscious they realised he was not and rang for the air ambulance.

Doctors and paramedics from the Air Ambulance Charity Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) then diagnosed Giles with an aortic dissection - a life-threatening tear in the artery.

Chrissie said: “Our bedroom became almost like an operation room all of a sudden. It was unbelievable.”

The team began administering treatment while still at the family’s home in Parker Close, Rainham, for two hours before transferring Giles to King’s College Hospital, London, by road ambulance.

The biology teacher underwent eight hours of open heart surgery to replace his aorta and spent four days in intensive care.

Giles said: “I was in good health but suddenly my life changed that morning. I have no recollection of the first four days or what took place.

“I came around in intensive care and thought I had a had a car crash. I kept writing on bits of paper to my mother saying I had been in a crash.

“I had a big scar and my first memory was seeing an ex-student of mine who was a nurse talking about what had taken place.

“Unfortunately, and I think Chrissie did as well, we Googled aortic dissection when I was back home. It was the wrong thing to do.

“It does not have a huge survival rate outside of hospitals. Some people are diagnosed with it but I had no symptoms prior so it just came out of the blue.

“The original ambulance service was amazing but I think the outcome would have been very different if KSS had not turned up.”

Chrissie, 49, added: “All the care that we have had right from the very first paramedics through to the KSS team and the doctors and nurses at the hospital was incredible.

“It has been incredibly difficult and it still is. It was very traumatising and very shocking.”

Giles’ children Jordan, 27, Millie, 18, and Max, nine, were at the home in November 2020 when Giles collapsed.

Chrissie said: “Max was quite traumatised. He did not cope very well with it and he did not really understand.

“The crew coming and helping Giles and getting him to the hospital really quickly was critical and the most vital part.

“However, the involvement that we have had with KSS since it happened and the aftercare team has been hugely beneficial to us as a family and Max who is one of the young ambassadors.

“The program has really helped him turn what was very difficult into something quite positive.

“I think we could have become quite unstuck really without them. I think we did not have anywhere to put our trauma, emotions, worries and anxieties.

“I think they have been able to somewhat normalise what happened and make it feel less surreal.

“We feel quite motivated to help raise funds for the organisation because they are desperately needed.”

The couple are now urging others to support KSS’ Buy it for Life appeal which has been launched to raise money so it can purchase its second helicopter and secure the future of the service.

Until now the charity has hired the aircraft, but at the end of last year, it found out its aviation partner was going to be sold and potentially fall into administration.

This meant there could be a significant price increase in the cost of running the helicopter.

KSS is now looking to purchase it instead of leasing it, which will save the charity about half a million pounds a year and allow it to fly for an extra six hours a day and in more challenging weather conditions.

However, it only has until the end of May to secure the second aircraft which is set to cost £1 million.

Giles said: “What happened to me was totally unexpected and I think that is the big thing, you do not know what is around the corner.

“KSS saved my life, there is no way around it. I would not be here now if it was not for them.

“They very much saved my life and it is really important they get the money to get this extra helicopter so they can save more people.”

Chrissie added: “If we had lived in the back of beyond, somewhere very rural where this service was not available, I do not think Giles would have survived.”

Read Warren Porritt’s story whose life was also saved by KSS after he was involved in a motorbike crash.

To donate to the KSS Buy it for Life appeal and have your name on its air ambulance helicopter, please click here or go to aakss.org.uk/helicopter.

Anyone who donates £100 or more can also have their name, the name of a family member or friend, community group, team or business placed onto the helicopter.

KSS is called to the most serious medical emergencies in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, making around nine missions every day.