Off-duty paramedics help save teen runner at Huntley track meet

Off-duty firefighter paramedics save teen runner in Huntley

 A high school track meet in Huntley turned into a life-or-death emergency in a matter of seconds.  A 16-year-old runner collapsed near the finish line this week.  Two off-duty firefighter paramedics were there and did not hesitate. They used an AED and some quick teamwork to help save his life.  Lauren Scafidi talked with the guys who stepped up.

HUNTLEY, Ill. - What started as a normal track meet quickly turned into an emergency in Huntley on Monday night. 

Two off-duty firefighter paramedics who were there watching their own sons compete jumped in to help after a 16-year-old runner collapsed near the finish line. 

The men credit athletic trainers, CPR and an AED with helping save the teen’s life.

What we know:

Andy Milewski and Scott Hayden, both with the Palatine Fire Department, said they were sitting in different parts of the stands when they noticed commotion near the finish line during a relay event at Huntley High School.

Milewski said he knew the situation was serious the moment he saw an AED being brought out.

"When you see the AED, something a little more serious was happening," Milewski said.

Milewski rushed down first and said the teen was not breathing and did not have a pulse when he arrived.

The school’s athletic training staff had already started helping the teen and quickly applied the AED, which advised a shock.

"I checked the pulse and immediately started CPR when I didn’t notice one," Milewski said. "The AED did its thing… I started CPR again, and then he ended up taking one breath."

The teen later regained a pulse and was taken to the hospital. 

Dig deeper:

The two paramedics said they did not even realize the other was in the crowd until they both rushed toward the emergency.

Hayden described the moment as "a weird colliding of worlds," saying they quickly shifted from watching their own children compete to relying on the same emergency response skills they use every day on the job.

Both men credited the Huntley athletic training staff and first responders for reacting quickly and working together when the teen was in cardiac arrest. 

"This was a really great example of all of the systems coming together… everyone being trained, everyone willing to respond and help… to really just give this young man a second chance at hopefully a long, happy, healthy life," Leiutenant Scott Hayden said. 

"We didn’t get in this job for any accolades. We got in to help people," said Andy Milewski, a firefighter paramedic.

What's next:

The paramedics said they hope this moment encourages more people to learn CPR and understand the importance of quick access to AEDs during emergencies.