HOUSTON – Student Nolan Carr said he can only remember one detail about October 1.
“I was running and I passed out,” he said.
The sophomore’s lost time are moments several staff members at Klein Cain High School can’t forget.
“At that moment, he kind of wasn’t breathing or it looked like he was just still,” said Michelle York, the school counselor.
Klein Independent School District police Officer Joe Wooley said when he got to the scene, he saw Carr on the ground.
“We knew we were going to have to get prepared for CPR,” said Robert Carbajal, the assistant principal.
“Started CPR with Officer Wooley and did CPR for around six or seven minutes,” said Jackie Angelino, a registered nurse. “The AED shocked him three times.”
“After the AED gave him the third shock shortly after that I was waiting for him to finish his cycle and I found his pulse,” said Phillip Bartlet, the head athletic trainer. “Finding a pulse after 7 minutes is nothing short of a miracle.”
Carr was rushed to the hospital where he eventually regained consciousness. His mom said it wasn’t until school nurses rushed his AED report to doctors that they all realized he had a long term issue.
Carr now lives with a defibrillator inside him.
“All it really does is whenever my heart rhythm gets out of whack it shocks me back into rhythm and should be able to keep me back here in the living,” he said.
With a full heart of appreciation for the staff members who saved his life, school counselor Michelle York, assistant principals Robert Carbajal and Chava Sadler, registered nurse Jackie Angelino, head athletic trainer Phil Bartlett, Klein ISD police Officers Joe Wooley and Alison Washington.
“I was glad that I have those people near me at all times,” Carr said.
“That’s the most important thing,” Officer Wooley said. “Just knowing that the parts that we played changed his life.”
Also, changing his future career path. Carr now has dreams of becoming a police officer.
“So, I can at least remember hopefully later in my life the type of people who saved me so I can maybe become that type of person,” he said.