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Doane University Athletic Trainer Helped Save A Life

Article reposted from Doaneline
Author: Austin Plourde

A runner passing out due to exhaustion is expected.

A spectator almost dying is not.

“Toward the end of the men’s race, I heard shouts from someone to call 911, so I ran over to see what was going on. I noticed it was an elderly man in distress. I knew this man needed help,” Athletic Trainer Micaela Kelso said.

Kelso said she was joined by a Doane Alum, Jillian Peavy, who is a third year student in Physician Assistant school.

Together they helped the man out of his chair and to the ground and began to asses his vitals, looking for a pulse and good breaths.

“We didn’t find a pulse so we began CPR. I continued chest compressions while she continued to check for a pulse.” Kelso said.

A couple others from the Doane coaching staff also helped with crowd control.

Professor Chad Greene was at the event taking photos and also saw the crowd surrounding the trainers.

“All I could see was a crowd of people gathering and at one point I had to tell them to give the trainers space to do their work.” Greene said.

Greene said he was concerned that the ambulance was taking a long time to arrive at the scene.

Kelso said there were also a couple athletic training students around who helped reassure the family members that were with him that day.

“He regained consciousness and then EMS arrived and took him away. It was definitely a group effort to save this man, and it would not have been such a success without all of their help as well,” Kelso said

Senior Andrew Weils has personal experience with having Kelso there to help him in a time of need.

“I’ve met with her regarding my shoulder and when I had tendinitis in my foot. She was very knowledgeable regarding my injury and had treatments ready,” Weils said.

Weils said Kelso did a lot of hands on work with him, instead of just having a student trainer work with him alone.

Kelso said she is not one for making a big deal out of things.

“I don’t consider myself a hero. I was just doing what I’ve been educated and trained to do,” Kelso said. “It’s because of the possibility of such incidences occurring, that we have athletic trainers and other trained professionals at athletic events.”

Greene would disagree.

“Never in my life have I seen an ambulance take that long, If it weren’t for the trainers that man would be dead.” Greene said