Six weeks since Mr Seagrave, 81, was brought back to life an incredible 12 times after suffering multiple heart attacks, he walked into Tamworth Ambulance Station and shook hands with the paramedics that rescued him from the brink of death.

On Saturday, October 18, Mr Seagrave was watching TV in his South Tamworth lounge room when he began to feel faint, stumbling to the bathroom and collapsing.

Two ambulances were soon on the scene but as paramedics were assessing Mr Seagrave, he suffered a massive heart attack.

Unable to use a defibrillator as Mr Seagrave was conscious, officers performed CPR.

In the 40 minutes before he arrived at Tamworth hospital, Mr Seagrave’s heart stopped seven times, faltering another five times in the emergency department and intensive care unit.

Miraculously, Mr Seagrave clung to life and 10 days later had a pacemaker installed at John Hunter Hospital.

While he remembers nothing of the night that was almost his last, Mr Seagrave was eager to personally thank paramedics Bob Wales, Derek Baker, David Kidd and Lachlan Blissett.

“These people saved my life and I wanted everyone to know how professional and capable they are,” Mr Seagrave said. “I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

He also paid tribute to the doctors and nurses at Tamworth hospital, whom he credits with keeping him alive during his darkest hour.

Intensive care paramedic Mr Wales, who was first on the scene, said it was “extremely rewarding” to hear from Mr Seagrave.

So happy were they at Mr Seagrave’s survival, the paramedics even dropped into hospital to visit him during his recovery.