PENTWATER, Mich. — An elderly man was resuscitated at a Pentwater Public Schools basketball game after possibly having a seizure in January. The incident occurred on January 27 at the homecoming junior varsity basketball game against Baldwin.
According to Pentwater Fire & Rescue, the elderly man was reported as possibly having a seizure in the Pentwater Public Schools lobby at about 5:52 p.m. Teachers, parents, and Pentwater Fire Department members who were attending the game administered CPR. One of the school’s AEDs was deployed and delivered a shock that restored a pulse and breathing to the man.
The elderly man was then taken to Mercy Health Hospital in Muskegon. It was reported that he was speaking while being transported. He was also awake and alert at the hospital. He has since been released from the hospital and is recovering well.
“There were a lot of things done right that added up to an amazing outcome,” said Fire Chief Jonathan Hughart. “We don’t usually experience this great of an outcome, but a chain of patient care occurred very quickly after the medical event occurred, which probably made a huge difference.”
The people who helped the elderly man include:
- Pentwater Fire Department Lieutenant and Medical First Responder Mark Haynor, who assumed the initial assessment and immediately began CPR.
- Pentwater Public Schools 3rd grade teacher Lucy Macher. Her son, JV basketball player Nathan, heard the man say that he needed help. She went to the stands to get help from Haynor.
- Chris Bush, who assisted with safely lowering the man.
- Danielle Roberts, who called 911.
- Renae Kieda, who has a background in nursing, retrieved the AED. She then helped apply the AED pads.
- An unknown man with a background in nursing assisted with the AED and post-shock care.
- Pentwater Fire Department Firefighter and Medical First Responder Brad Van Duinen assisted with the AED. He then ran two blocks to the fire department to get the department’s rescue vehicle and equipment.
- Former paramedic Amy Grondsma assisted after the shock was delivered.
- Pentwater Police Department’s Amanda Sniegowski radioed that CPR was in progress, and then assisted with post-shock care.
- Pentwater Public Schools Athletic Director created space and privacy for the patient.
