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On a busy Tuesday, a series of seemingly mundane circumstances—traffic congestion on I-93 North, ongoing construction on College Avenue, and a local team's sporting event—serendipitously converged to save a life.
Charles DeVirgilio, a 65-year-old Tufts alumnus, experienced a near-fatal cardiac arrest, but thanks to the prompt actions of local first responders and Athletic Trainers, he was given a second chance.
After completing a workout, DeVirgilio was navigating through Medford when he unexpectedly passed out behind the wheel of his truck. DeVirgilio had no memory of pain or discomfort, only the sudden blackout:
"One moment the light switch was on, and then it was off."
Nearby, Medford police officers Zachary Pierre and Padraig Calnan, along with Tufts Athletic Trainers, were perfectly positioned to respond.
Observing DeVirgilio's distress, they acted swiftly. The Tufts baseball team, upon hearing the call for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), dashed to retrieve the life-saving device.
The critical intervention began just in time. Brett Hayes, Assistant Director of Sports Medicine at Tufts, along with Lauren Bracken, a seasoned Athletic Trainer, rushed to the scene. Hayes performed chest compressions and utilized the AED alongside Bracken, a stark difference from their routine training.
"Charles literally levitated off the ground when the AED was fired."
Their collaborative effort with the police ensured DeVirgilio’s stabilization until emergency medical services arrived. Transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, he was placed in an induced coma to manage a severe arterial blockage—a condition ominously nicknamed the "widow maker."
Remarkably, only 12% survive such a critical cardiac event, a statistic that underscores the miraculous nature of his survival.
DeVirgilio’s recovery was as much a testament to his physical condition as it was to the swift and knowledgeable response of those at the scene.
Reflecting on the incident, he acknowledged the extraordinary timing and location of his collapse: near his alma mater, surrounded by individuals capable of saving his life.
As he recuperated, DeVirgilio expressed his gratitude profoundly. He offered free classes at his boxing gym to those involved in his rescue and even organized a special recognition for Hayes at a Red Sox game.
Bracken, with only two years under her belt as an Athletic Trainer, needed some time to fully grasp the gravity of the situation that had unfolded. She's proud of her chosen career, emphasizing that Athletic Trainers are more than just sideline figures.
"We are medical professionals who provide crucial help."
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