By Clare BruceMonday 20 Jan 2020NewsReading Time: 2 minutes
Children’s entertainer Greg Page, better known as ‘the Yellow Wiggle’, had a brush with death when he suffered a heart attack at a Wiggles charity concert in Castle Hill on Friday night.
It was defibrillator, used by a nurse in the audience, and the CPR administered by drummer Steve Pace and staff member Kimmy Antonelli, that saved his life.
Page collapsed as he walked off the stage of the Castle Hill RSL, during the bushfire relief concert raising money for the Red Cross and WIRES. “Blue Wiggle” Anthony Field was emotional the next day telling the media that he and his bandmates experienced some intense moments backstage when Page had no pulse and no breath in his lungs.
Above: Anthony Field, the ‘Blue Wiggle’, was emotional talking about his bandmate’s close call, and broke down in tears onstage on Saturday night. (Pictures: Channel 7, screenshots)
Nurse Grace Jones, a Wiggles fan who was in the audience, came back stage to help and took charge, using the defibrilator to save his life.
“They really brought Greg back,” Field told the media. “It is frightening to see a friend really in a bad way like that and I’m just glad that the guys could bring him back.”
Lifesaver: Grace Jones, a nurse from the Royal North Shore Hospital who was attending the Wiggles concert, stepped in and used a defibrillator to save Greg Page’s life. Picture: Channel 7, Screenshot
Page was rushed to hospital where he had a stent fitted, and is now recovering and said to be in good spirits. When Page woke up and learnt he had suffered a cardiac arrest, he reportedly asked Field if he had finished the show.
Grateful: The original Red Wiggle, Murray Cook, hugs Grace Jones the nurse who saved his bandmate’s life. Picture: Channel 7, Screenshot
“I said, ‘yes, mate, you finished the show – bit of a melodramatic exit, but you did finish the show’,” said Field.
Saturday night’s sold-out show at Castle Hill went ahead, minus Page, and as the crowd shouted their support, Blue Wiggle Anthony broke down in tears. The weekend’s shows were the first time the original Wiggles members had played together in eight years.
Page has suffered from health conditions in the past including fainting and fatigue, and a blood pressure and circulation condition called orthostatic intolerance, which forced his retirement from the famed Wiggles group.