A Florida teenager has much to be thankful for this week. Joseph Saintelus, 14, is going home from the hospital after surviving a cardiac arrest at school over a year ago.
Joseph describes the day he was in gym class, playing basketball. “All of the sudden, I don’t see anything. I don’t see anything like a black out.”
Joseph’s heart had stopped beating. The school nurse, Sheila O’Neil Brown, describes what happened next.
“Joey was unresponsive, so Mister Brown [the head of security] quickly came to my side and so I said we have to start CPR right away,” said Brown.
A rescue team arrived later with an AED and shocked his heart back into rhythm.
Today, the cardiologist at Miami Children’s Hospital and his mother, Corleitha Henley, gave all the credit to the school nurse and the head of security.
“His heart went into an electrical freeze almost, and the CPR kept his blood circulating and kept oxygen going to his vital organs,” said cardiologist Dr. Nancy Dobrolet.
His mom, says she’s thankful, “If they wasn’t there I would not have my son today.”
Initially Joseph was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, then Broward General. The Life Flight helicopter brought him to Miami Children’s Hospital to repair the congenital problem that caused his heart failure. Now there’s a small defibrillator implanted in Joseph’s chest.
Joseph will no longer be able to participate in sports but there’s something he prefers to play — video games.
Doctors say Joseph should be able to go home a day or two just in time for Thanksgiving.