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7th grade football player saved after in game collapse
7th grade football player survived a caridac emergency at the end of a game last night, thanks to a quick response from the trainers on the sideline.
EULESS, Texas - A North Texas seventh grader survived a cardiac emergency at the end of a football game on Monday night thanks to a quick response by athletic trainers and a new state law.
Football Player Collapses
What we know:
The medical emergency happened on the Trinity High School football field during a game between Euless Junior High School in Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD and Haltom Middle School in Birdville ISD.
The seventh-grade player from Haltom Middle collapsed while coming off the field at the end of the game.
An athletic trainer from Texas Health was on the sidelines and saw the young player go down. She quickly called Trinity High School Assistant Athletic Trainer Saad Rajabali for help.
"She was on the scene, and she had called me for the AED. So, I grabbed one from my office and ran down here, and it was her and a few coaches. And they were turning the kid over. So, they had already gone to him. Which, at that point, I had opened up the AED, put the pads on administer shock, which it had advised me to, and continued with compressions until we got some breathing coming back. And EMS had arrived right there," Rajabali said.
According to Birdville ISD, the player was awake and talking on the way to the hospital.
He is reportedly undergoing more tests but is said to be stable and in good spirits.
Lancaster football player dies after suffering heat emergency during practice
A sophomore football player at Lancaster High School died on Wednesday after suffering a medical emergency during practice on Monday.
Cardiac Emergency Response Plan
What they're saying:
In these types of critical situations, every second counts.
That’s why HEB ISD became one of the first districts in the state to implement a cardiac emergency response plan in partnership with the American Heart Association.
"I learned about the Nation of Lifesavers, and ever since I learned about them, we’ve been working on really creating a District of Lifesavers. So, we wanna make sure that our school and everyone is ready for a cardiac emergency," said HEB ISD Superintendent Joe Harrington.
While Harrington is grateful the child is okay, he’s also proud that everything his team put together worked.
"We practice this for a reason," he said.
"I think there’s satisfaction in knowing that he’s okay and also knowing that the parents can go home and still enjoy moments with their child who hopefully grows up and has a long life," Rajabali said.
What's next:
This year, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill requiring all Texas schools to implement cardiac emergency response plans.
The Source: The information in this story comes from HEB ISD, Birdville ISD, and interviews with the HEB ISD superintendent and athletic trainers.