Christian Nayet, a 60-year-old cancer sufferer from the northern town of Berck-sur-mer, rescued the driver on April 11 by taking him to a hospital in Lens, according to hospital emergency room manager Frederic Allienne.
Mr Nayet reported that the driver had suffered a heart attack while taking him to a hospital in Lille for a regular scan.
“I told him: ‘Give me the keys, trust me! My life is not in danger, but yours is!’” Nayet said.
“I couldn’t find the siren, but I managed to turn the lights on and told him to put his arm out the window to signal to the cars to let us pass.”
Mr Allienne said the vehicle drove into the parking area at the hospital reserved for ambulances, and the striken driver was immediately admitted to the emergency room.
During the drive, Nayet had also administered a blood anticoagulant to the driver – and without his assistance, the driver “could have died,” Allienne said.
After the mergency, Nayet was taken to another hospital for his scheduled tests.