soccer

Trio of ‘Rock Stars' Spring into Action to Save Northbrook Soccer Player

A young soccer player collapsed at the Athletico Center in Northbrook Saturday evening--but luckily three people in the stands recognized there was a problem and didn't hesitate to help.

"He had no heart rhythm," Dr. Rebecca Newman recalled. "He had no heartbeat at all."

While concerned onlookers waited for paramedics, former firefighter and current general manager at the sports center, Dale Plotkin, jumped in to do mouth to mouth

"I went right down on my knee and it became tunnel vision," he told NBC 5. "I guess the adrenaline was pumping and all I cared about was getting oxygen into this boy’s lungs."

Tonya Nightingale heard the commotion and brought the Automated External Defibrillator.

"I opened it up, started to get the patches ready," Nightingale said. "Got the patches on him, did what we were instructed with the AED kit and we kept going."

The 15-year-old regained consciousness as paramedics arrived. His mother tells NBC 5 he is doing very well and is in high spirits.

She says she is grateful for what happened here. And wants more people to be trained to respond to similar emergencies.

Laura Ludford, the chief instructor at Citywide CPR based in Glenview, agrees. Ludford's organization trains individuals to be CPR ready if just such a catastrophe unfolds.

And her appraisal of the situation?

"They were rock stars," she said of those who sprang into action.

And luckily all were there Saturday night to save a young man’s life.

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