Speaking to the Herald, Woolley, originally from Taumarunui, said he was in the middle of cutting a log with an axe when something didn’t feel right.
“I basically finished the log and got back to my axe box and knew there was something wrong and turned to my wife, Kirsty, and basically died in her arms,” Woolley said.
Kahu and Kirsty Woolley. Photo / Supplied
“There was four wood chopping competitors and friends of mine that basically kept me alive and I’ve since caught up with three of them and they’re still pretty shaken up about it now, but I’m grateful they were there.”
Woolley was shocked multiple times by the defibrillator, which brought his pulse back before his heart would stop beating again.
He was was taken to hospital, via helicopter, where a stent was inserted, and he’s recovered quickly to take his place in Palmerston North.
“The [defibrillator] saved my life. That particular axemen’s club which was holding that event are one of the very few clubs that really have them. They’ve never had to use it up until then, but certainly grateful that that was on hand.”
Woolley had to undergo vigorous testing, and was attached to an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine, while running on a treadmill, as vitals including cholesterol and heart rate were checked.
Woolley has called Australia home for the past decade, where he runs a car mechanic business in Naracoorte, South Australia.
He competed at the Amuri Plains Show in Canterbury last week.
He said the chance to compete in NZ is special.
Kahu Woolley.
“I’m feeling pretty good really, considering I was sort of dead a few months ago,” Woolley said.
“It’s nice to be home again, that’s for sure. I was a little bit nervous just to see how we’d go in Canterbury, so I wanted to take it easy and just sort of test the waters.
“I’m pushing for the New Zealand Stihl team. I know deep down I’ve got another four or five years [of competing] and feel like I’m right there with the best in the world, especially in the sawing events.”
Woolley has a strong history in timbersports, with his grandfather also being an axeman. He took the sport seriously in his teenage years, making the NZ Under-21 and Men’s Open side, competing alongside the late, great Jason Wynyard at Timbersport World Championships in Europe.
He had taken a hiatus from competing to start a family and had recently just picked up the axe again.
The experience has turned Woolley into a strong advocate for defibrillators at sporting venues. His wife took a course on how to use a defibrillator at last weekend’s show.
Woolley describes himself as a typical healthy Kiwi bloke and said after his incident it was important for men to get regular health checks, even if feeling fit and healthy.
“I’ve always looked after myself,” Woolley said.
“I felt what it felt like to suffer that heart attack, my heart had started racing and obviously I couldn’t breathe and my vision went, so just keeping an eye on those little signs like that, if I sort of feel anything I’ll definitely be pulling up.
“If … you do feel like you are having a couple of little niggles … just go and get checked out, because you just never know, they might be able to pick up something early, rather than finding out the hard way like I did, and I was very, very lucky to survive that.
“Listen to the body and certainly don’t be afraid to go and see your GP about it.”
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the NZ Herald who covers breaking sports news.