'Glasgow Cabbie' has taxi defibrillator replaced after it was stolen
Stef Shaw has exclusively told Clyde 1 News the kit is very important to him, after having his own life saved by one in the past
A Glasgow taxi driver has been gifted a replacement defibrillator to keep in his cab, after it was stolen around a year ago.
Stef Shaw, behind the popular 'Glasgow Cabbie' page on Facebook, says his own life was saved by a defibrillator in the past, after being stabbed in an attack by three men almost 20 years ago.
After surviving the terrifying ordeal, Stef became enthused to carry the life-saving kit in his taxi.
The Baillieston local was given the equipment by the management of the Glasgow Tigers Speedway, at the request of MSP Paul Sweeney.
He carried the defib for around three years, however, Stef said it took him a couple of days to realise the kit was missing after completing some journeys in the taxi - an event which made him extremely disappointed.
One year on, the defibrillator in his taxi has been replaced by Karen Drummond, events manager for the Barra Presentation campaign.
Stef has exclusively told Clyde 1 News he's thrilled to have it back on board.
He said: "I had my life saved just over 18 years ago by paramedics who used a defibrillator after my heart stopped through loss of blood.
"Since then, I've always been curious and have wanted to carry a defibrillator in my cab.
"I'd carried one for around three years when suddenly one day last year I noticed that it was gone from my cab. Sadly, it had been stolen and I was rather gutted because I was prepared to leave my cab to save someone's life who had taken a heart attack.
"So I've been without one for just over or around a year, until our events manager for the Barra presentation campaign, Karen Drummond, gifted me a brand new defibrillator after I told her that mine had been stolen from my cab.
"So I've now got my second defibrillator, which I'll keep this time in the boot of the taxi cab.
"I'm delighted to have another one, which I'm prepared to use if someone unfortunately takes a heart attack or their heart stops in town.
"It means an awful lot to me. To give anyone a second opportunity to live their life by having their heart restarted by a defibrillator means the world, not just to that person, but to their entire circle of family and friends.
"It's of great importance.
"I think it's very, very important for as many businesses as possible, as many taxi drivers as possible, to become involved in trying to install defibrillators because their importance is incredible.
"You're talking about a matter of life and death and it doesn't really get more important than that."