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In a remarkable display of quick action and medical preparedness, a Clinton High School student's life was saved thanks to the prompt response of the school's staff after the student went into cardiac arrest during gym class in South Carolina.
According to officials, the 14-year-old experienced a seizure that escalated to cardiac arrest while participating in a badminton unit.
Gym teacher Peyton Spangler immediately recognized something was amiss and called for help, including Head Athletic Trainer Nora Ann Pace and the school's nurse.
Pace, who has 14 years of experience as an Athletic Trainer and had recently renewed her CPR certification, sprung into action.
"You know you’re the one who has been trained for this as the healthcare provider. If I panic, everyone else will panic and then we won’t be able to respond to the student’s needs. Training just kicked in, you just go into autopilot.”
Alongside the school nurse Beckie Scott and other staff, Pace administered CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to successfully restore the student's heart rhythm. Scott underscored the timeliness and effectiveness of the intervention:
"He was in a deadly heart rhythm and the AED is what saved his life."
This incident has underscored the life-saving potential of CPR and the use of AEDs, prompting Clinton High School to urge the community to learn these vital skills.
The student, after being airlifted to a nearby children's hospital and undergoing further testing at the Medical University of South Carolina, was able to return home in stable condition.
Reflecting on the experience, Pace highlighted the universal importance of CPR knowledge:
"It’s extremely important because you never know when it could be your father, or your mother or your grandmother."
The school's proactive stance on emergency preparedness and the successful outcome of this harrowing incident serve as a powerful reminder of the critical role that CPR and AED training can play in saving lives.
