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Sixteen-year-old Keegan Hawke’s life was saved on the Stillwater High School football field after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.
He was discharged from Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis last week, deeply grateful for the teammates and Athletic Trainers who responded swiftly, performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore his pulse.
As a Stillwater firefighter, Keegan’s mother, Katie Hawke, recognized the urgency when she received the emergency alert.
"They had actually said in the notes, 'AED-delivered shock.'"
But the concern only deepened when she learned it was her own son.
“It’s a nightmare. Both as a parent and as a firefighter because it’s already a bad call. And now it’s your kid.”
Keegan had felt his heart race before but had previously been cleared by doctors. This time, he was running a non-contact drill when he collapsed suddenly at his coach’s feet.
Teammates called out to Stillwater head Athletic Trainer Michael Renfro and assistant Athletic Trainer Olivia DuBois.
DuBois immediately began CPR, while Renfro prepared the AED, which delivered a critical shock to Keegan’s heart.
In his 15-year career, Renfro had never had to use an AED on a person, but he said the experience went just as smoothly as in training. The combination of CPR and AED intervention saved Keegan’s life.
“Thank God for everybody that was there. We didn’t know if he had brain damage. We didn’t know if he was going to make it.”
Keegan’s 16th birthday passed while he was in a medically induced coma, waking up after 72 hours. Laughing with his mom, he recalled:
“Yeah, I was under a lot of drugs, so…”
Although his football career is over, Keegan can still play basketball thanks to an implant that will regulate his heart.
“It’s a privilege to be here."
Now, Katie and Keegan hope to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and advocate for accessible AEDs.
Check out the full news story and video here!
