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CHELMSFORD, MASS.- ZOLL Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, reported today that football coaches at Breaux Bridge High School in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, combined CPR and a ZOLL AED Plus(Registered) to save the life of a freshman football player on May 19. The coaches launched into lifesaver mode when they spotted then 15-year-old Teddrick Lewis lying face-down on the sidelines during a football scrimmage. Because of their preparedness and quick action, Lewis has just started his sophomore year of high school.
According to Head Coach Paul Broussard, Lewis collapsed moments after leaving the field and was sprawled out on the ground with his face buried in the grass. Instinct and training immediately took over for Broussard and his staff.
"Because we had a plan in place, we knew exactly what we had to do. Just two or three weeks earlier, our principal and nursing staff was adamant that we simulate a mock rescue drill after school. We had the whole football team there, and they put us on the clock," said Broussard. "Thank goodness for that drill. We never thought we would have to use it so soon after."
He went on to explain how when Teddrick collapsed, an assistant coach raced off to retrieve the AED. Plus, another coach called 911, while yet another began CPR as someone removed Teddrick's shoulder pads. The routine and the training just kicked in and adrenaline took over.
"The AED Plus worked great. It told us exactly what to do. We gave him a shock when it advised, then resumed CPR as it instructed, and after the second shock, he started to come around. By the time the Arcadian Ambulance paramedics and an Acadian Air Med team arrived, about 10 minutes later, Teddrick had regained consciousness," said Broussard. "It wasn't until later, when I started thinking about it, that I realized the magnitude of the situation and felt scared."
As for Teddrick, he says the last thing he remembers was walking off the field feeling very tired, and then waking up in a helicopter wearing an oxygen mask. He was airlifted to Lafayette General Hospital, about 30 minutes away, where he was treated and released a week later.
While he's not sure he'll be able to play football again, he says he's forever grateful to the coaches. "They saved my life. And because of them I got to celebrate my 16th birthday on June 5 and can now continue my education."
The AED Plus the coaches used to help save Teddrick was donated to Breaux Bridge High School by the Louisiana Mississippi West Tennessee District of Kiwanis International. Its District AED Project is a multi-year initiative to place AEDs in every school in Louisiana, Mississippi and West Tennessee. ZOLL offers the AED Plus units to the district at a discounted price, and then each club raises funds from local businesses and organizations to purchase AEDs for the schools. To date, the clubs have placed over 330 AEDs in schools in the tri-state district and at least six lives have been saved.
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