Medical professionals responded quickly when a high school wrestler’s heart stopped at the Minnesota state tournament on Feb. 29.
According to the Sun Thisweek, Becker High School’s Brayden Weber, 17, was walking off the Xcel Energy Center mat when he collapsed.
“I kind of felt like something was off a little bit,” Weber later told KSTP.com of his memory of being pinned in the 220-pound semifinals. “I don’t remember standing up or shaking hands, anything like that. I was walking over to my coaches, and I just hit the ground right in front of their feet.”
Several athletic trainers and medical professionals were on site, immediately responding and finding that Weber had no pulse.
“I ran to get the AED and applied it to the athlete while the other certified athletic trainer did compressions and Dr. Mark Berg gave breaths,” Lakeville South High School athletic trainer Jenna Arnold said, noting that she also alerted the Xcel Energy Center staff that there was an emergency.
After five minutes without a pulse, Weber eventually regained consciousness and was carried off the mat and taken to Regions Hospital.
“We prepare for these things, but hope they never happen,” Arnold said. “The experience, at first, was like treating any other injured person. You assess the situation to the best of your ability and determine appropriate action. I have full trust in my coworkers and when the doctor indicted the severity of the situation, I just responded.”
Arnold enjoyed a positive phone call with Weber’s mom after the incident.
“It was the best phone call ever and just what I needed. I hope to meet Brayden in the future,” Arnold said. “It all happened so quickly and efficiently. (I want to say) thanks to everyone that was there.”
While in the hospital, Weber, who took sixth in his weight class, told the local CBS affiliate that he felt normal and all his initial tests didn’t show anything wrong. Weber and his opponent had reportedly bumped heads early in the match and he was immediately checked for a concussion.
