Maree Dislievska was there the night her beloved brother had a cardiac event and died while out celebrating the end of university exams.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Naum Dislievski was just 20 when he collapsed during a night out at Wollongong's Mr Crown in June 2017.
Ms Dislievska remembers feeling helpless. Their friends and bystanders either didn't realise it was an emergency, or didn't know how to respond either.
The 20-year-old Figtree resident still doesn't know if any intervention would have made a difference that night.
However she and her parents, Roberta and Lube, have found some comfort in a new initiative that is making other University of Wollongong students aware of how to react in a similar situation.
On Wednesday, St John Ambulance NSW and the university officially launched a partnership to educate students about the importance of learning first aid.
A touching video featuring Ms Dislievska and her family was played at the launch of the partnership, which was also established as a way to pay tribute to Naum.
"I thought I'd never be in a position where I'd need to know first aid and CPR," Ms Dislievska told the Mercury.
"But I now know it happens when you least expect it. And when it happened to me, I felt helpless.
"He was my brother and my friend ... it was just me and him growing up. He was a kind and caring person - he always lit up the room and everyone he met loved him.
"I think he would be happy about what is being done to educate other young people and raise awareness of how crucial it is to have these life-saving skills."
St John training and development general manager, Martin Thomas, said the organisation would now work with UOW on an ongoing basis - including similar educational events as well as discounted first aid courses for students.
"The aim is to build up awareness on the university campus of the value of CPR skills," he said. "We want the younger generation to understand and be able to deliver effective CPR.
"Every time there's a cardiac incident, that results in a death, there's a chance it could have been prevented if the right actions were taken at the time."
As well as encouraging people to do CPR training, Ms Dislievska would also like it to be mandatory for defibrillators to be installed at nightclubs and other public venues.
No doubt her brother - who was studying commerce/ law - would be proud of her efforts, as she undertakes a law degree herself.
"He wanted to make a difference," she said, "and through his legacy, he is."
St John runs regular courses in Wollongong, which are open to everyone in the community. Visit www.stjohnnsw.com.au or call 1300 ST JOHN to book or for more details.