Centennial, Colorado — Thursday, January 30, was nearly Daniel Mitchell’s last day. The 29-year-old was playing his weekly basketball game with friends in Centennial, Colorado, when he collapsed unexpectedly.
“I noticed when I was returning to the court to play defense… I began feeling lightheaded and dizzy. “Everything hit me at once,” Mitchell said. “That’s when everything went black.”
It was a heart attack.
His friends quickly went to work. Merrill Redfearn, a dental student at the University of Colorado, put his CPR certification to the test for the first time.
“I assumed it was a seizure until I went over there. He quickly stopped breathing, so I just gave him CPR,” Redfearn said.
Mitchell’s other friend, Justin Dittmar, requested the automated external defibrillator.
“Merrill has been doing chest compressions for five minutes straight. “We’re trying to figure out how to use the AED shocking device as a group of people who came together in 30 seconds,” Dittmar explained. “He was not breathing. He had no heartbeat. “He seemed to be gone.”
Paramedics arrived moments later to help revive Mitchell’s heart.
“I figured there was something wrong with my heart. “I had chest pains for about a month and a half,” Mitchell explained. “They weren’t enough for me to be too worried, but of course looking back on it I should have gotten checked out.”
Doctors informed Mitchell that, despite his youth and health, genetics played a role in the scare.
“It was nothing I was doing to myself, it was genetic and hereditary,” Mitchell responded.
In any case, Mitchell’s friends would not give up.
“I am almost speechless,” Redfearn said. “To see a friend that you have played with for years be in that situation, and the first thing in my mind was, ‘I need to do the best that I can to help him.'”
Mitchell is grateful for this type of quick thinking.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Mitchell replied. “It was definitely a huge blessing to have you guys there. Without them, I’m not sure I’d be here today.”
Mitchell was fortunate to receive assistance in a timely manner; however, this is not always the case. He and his friends hope that this story serves as a reminder to get checked so that something like this does not happen to you.
Redfearn wants to send a reminder about learning basic life-saving skills as well.
“To people who have to be [Basic Life Support] certified or have to take a course, take it seriously,” said Redfearn. “You truly never know when it’s going to happen, who you’re going to have to work on. It could be you that may have to administer the help.”
