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Nurse, Defibrillator Credited With Saving Student's Life

17-Year-Old Had Undetected Heart Condition

POSTED: 4:32 pm EST February 26, 2010
UPDATED: 9:55 pm EST February 26, 2010

Quick thinking by a Western High School nurse likely saved the life of a student who collapsed during gym class.

Drew Brantley, 17, a school soccer and baseball star, was playing basketball with classmates last week when he collapsed and appeared to have a seizure, 6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.

But nurse Brenda Strunk said she quickly realized it was much more severe.

"When we got to him, we were trying to find pulse on him. We couldn't find a pulse," she said.

Strunk grabbed an Automated External Defibrillator located outside the school's gym and used it to bring the boy back from full cardiac arrest.

Brantley spent five days in Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where doctors said he had a heart condition that had gone undetected.

Now he is back home and thanking the people, and the machine, that helped save his life.

"I couldn't tell you where one of (the AEDs) is in the school, although I guess I will now," he said. "I'm just so happy that everybody knew how to use it, and everybody got there on time."

His parents said they hope to use this second chance to make sure every school is equipped with one of the life-saving machines.

"Only because of that device and the people at school is our son still alive" said Ron Brantley. "Make sure you get them. Even if you don't have to use them, it's a security blanket."

The machines cost about $1,700 a piece. The Western School Corporation has 11 throughout the district near playing fields, cafeterias and gymnasiums, and six more are on order.
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