Day to play cards ends tragically | Coffs Coast News | Local News in Coffs Coast

COFFS Harbour Senior Citizen's Club members are coming to terms this week with the sudden and tragic death of long-time member Ian Welsh, who died on his way to play cards at the Cavanbah Centre on Tuesday morning.

Club secretary Isabel Murphy said she wanted to thank all those who responded so promptly when Mr Welsh collapsed on the centre's ramp shortly before 9am on Tuesday.

“I was in the kitchen and by the time a member shouted to me 'Ian has collapsed' and I called the ambulance and got out the front, a young woman on her way to work was on her knees administering CPR,” Mrs Murphy said.

“Three other people also called the ambulance and four ambulances converged on the hall within minutes. They kept working on him while they put him in the ambulance to take him to hospital.

“The administrator of the Neighbourhood Centre, Ellen Davis, also came over immediately. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the response.”

Mrs Murphy said while all efforts to revive Mr Welsh had failed, he had died doing what he enjoyed.

“He loved his card games and his Senior Citizens Club. He had been in and out of hospital but was determined to come to cards.”