'Only had minutes to act': How an AED saved a South Brunswick basketball player’s life
The quick actions and training of members of an over 40 men's basketball league in South Brunswick, along with police and EMS, has been credited with saving a player's life.
Nearly a dozen men gathered to play the usual night game at South Brunswick High School on Aug. 9, but with a smaller crowd of players. About 45 minutes into the game, two players asked to sit out. One of the players, Javier, 48, of Princeton, whose last name was withheld, told a friend he didn't feel well as he took a seat in a chair under the far basket, according to police.
As players continued to play at the other end of the court, Javier collapsed off the chair, face down onto the court. His fellow basketball players raced to his aid.
One of the players, Cheng “Rob” Lee, a volunteer fireman with the Kingston Fire Department, knew they had to act quickly. He directed Mike Dooley, the site supervisor, to call 911 and another to get the automated external defibrillator (AED).
A second player, Raj Vora, knew things were serious as they rolled Javier over and he began to turn purple. Vora described Javier as gasping for air with clenched teeth, police said. Vora ran into the hallway to get the AED.
Another player, Freddy Schenk, an athletic trainer, knew immediately he had to begin CPR. As Schenck began chest compression, Lee gave mouth-to-mouth to Javier. They applied the AED and it shocked Javier, but still no pulse. Lee knew when the AED went off to shock Javier that the situation with their friend was dire. They worked feverishly to try to get Javier’s pulse back.
Two minutes after the 911 call, South Brunswick Police Officer Sean Nally, who was nearby, arrived at the high school. He found several players tending to Javier who was on his back and still did not have a pulse. Nally stepped in to continue CPR and another shock was given by the AED.
Within minutes the Monmouth Junction First Aid Squad arrived along with paramedics and lifesaving efforts continued. After several minutes Javier regained a pulse. As they placed him in the ambulance, Javier became alert and began speaking with EMS asking what had happened.
South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said the case highlights the importance of everyone knowing CPR and having access to an AED.
“It was split second actions by the basketball players, Officer Nally and EMS that saved a father’s life," Hayducka said in the statement.
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Each year, 350,000 Americans experience cardiac arrest and only around 10% survive. Studies show that if immediate CPR and defibrillation are applied within the first three minutes most of the victims of cardiac arrest can survive, yet each minute that goes by the chances drop significantly.
"They only had minutes to act to make a difference," Hayducka said. "The fact that the South Brunswick School District has invested in AEDs at all the schools made a huge difference.”
Javier was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where he continues to receive treatment, police said.
He is so thankful for all those who rushed to save his life, police said.
“Thanks to the quick actions, training, and knowledge of my fellow players, police officers, and EMS, I get to continue my life and be a husband to my wife and a father to my daughter," Javier said. "I am eternally grateful for their critical life skills”
Anyone interested in learning CPR, may contact Penn Medicine Princeton Health at 1-888-897-8979 or visit the American Heart Association website at cpr.heart.org/en for more information.
Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com
Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: South Brunswick NJ basketball player's life saved with AED
