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‘Quicker than a heartbeat!’

Rapid response by Crestview staff saves life of eighth-grade student

Crestview Schools nurse Ellie Thompson is shown with eighth-grader Jacob Burley. She is holding the automated external defibrillator which saved his life when he inexplicably suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Thompson placed the pads on Jacob and followed the guidelines on the AED — on of six placed strategically throughout district schools. (Photo by J.D. Creer)

“Quicker than a heartbeat!” is an oft-used idiom describing in an instant or, maybe, in a flash.

During a recent fateful Tuesday in December it applied in a live-saving way.

Fourteen-year-old Jacob Burley is a Crestview eighth-grader. It was early afternoon on Dec. 17. Jacob was on the middle school gym floor shooting hoops with a few classmates.

Then it happened. “I’m losing my vision,” he thought. Actually, he was thisclose to losing his life.

Jacob collapsed face down. His color turned gray. He was not breathing. He did not have a pulse. It was a sudden cardiac arrest.

FOR CRESTVIEW 1100x714 - ‘Quicker than a heartbeat!’

The quick actions of Crestview staff members saved the life of Jacob Burley. Front, from left, Christy Hoopes, district secretary; Ellie Thompson, ACH district nurse; Jacob Burley; Donna Cook, HS-MS secretary; back, from left, Dan Hill, superintendent; Darren Miller, HS counselor; Caleb Crowl, HS principal; Timothy Pancake, MS principal; and Dom Perry, MS teacher, head football coach. (Photo by J.D. Creer)

That is when –let’s call them “Team Crestview” — reacted.

Five percent. One in twenty. Not the best of odds, for sure. But a pediatric cardiologist at Akron’ Children’s Hospital said that was the slimmest of chances of Jacob for surviving. That is, if it weren’t for measures taken by the school staff and students. Tragedy turned into a narrative of sheer inspiration that those involved will likely never forget.

After Jacob collapsed, a student ran into the office of school nurse Ellie Thompson. Within seconds she reached the gym. 9-1-1 was called. Relying full-steam ahead on her training, Thompson began chest compressions. In a nearby corridor, just feet away from the gym, was an automated external defibrillator (AED). With the assistance of high school guidance counselor Darren Miller, Thompson placed the pads on Jacob and followed the guidelines on the AED — on of a half-dozen placed strategically throughout district schools.

It worked.

“After about maybe 20 or 30 seconds, he just had a return of spontaneous circulation,” Thompson recounted. “He got pink and started breathing.”

Breaths of life from Jacob. Deep sighs of relief from those coming to his aid.

His heart revived, Jacob was first taken to Mercy Health-St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown. He was then life-flighted to Akron Children’s Hospital. He was placed in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Pediatric cardiologist Dr. John Clark implanted a defibrillator in Jacob. Genetic testing is underway to determine an underlying cause for a sudden cardiac arrest in an apparent healthy young teen who had no pre-existing heart condition.

“Jacob is a very lucky man,” said Dr. Clark. “His odds of survival would have been around 5 percent without the AED nearby and the quick response of our school nurse and other first responders.”

“We feel very comfortable with this,” said Jacob’s mom, Sunshine. “The way Dr. Clark explained it, it will monitor his heart and kick in when there is an irregular beat. It’s good to know because you can’t always count on having a school nurse or other trained bystander nearby.”

Schools superintendent Dan Hill was effusive with praise for those responding. For the student in the gym recognizing the emergency and rushing to the nurses clinic; for instructor Dominic Perry who was in the gym at the time and emptied it of students; to Pancake for putting the school in lockdown — everyone stayed in classrooms– to avoid confusion and to clear the hallway; for attending first responders from New Waterford and East Palestine; and, of course, for the poised Thompson — “Nurse Ellie” — in dealing with a life-or-death crisis. Textbook teamwork!

“We are so grateful for Ellie’s professionalism in approaching the situation — she never backed away from the circumstance — and this is an example of why you want to have the right staff in the right positions at the appropriate time,” said Hill.

“In no point in time, when we were moving to Akron Children’s [for a school health services contract started last year), did we envision something like this, but Akron Children’s educates its nurses for moments like this and having them embedded in our district is paramount. There are just too many things that weren’t by happenstance.”

Hill noted that the district has incorporated AED training as part of teacher in-service workshops each year. Dec. 17 was the first time one was used for an in-school emergency.

“This year,” Hill added, “we did a scavenger hunt as part of their introduction so that everybody knew where they were. How important was that? Did we foresee this?”

He said the school never envisioned having to need it for a students. More so for staff or adults attending events.

Hill said the district currently has AEDs throughout its facilities including one near the concessions area if needed for anyone during a game or other school events. He said like to explore getting more and even updating models.

After several days at Akron Children’s Hospital, the resilient Jacob returned home. His family had the most thankful of holidays. A gift of life beats anything under a Christmas tree. His recovery has gone well. He is back in school without any restrictions. He left arm is in a sling while the ongoing defibrillator healing process. The sling will be removed mid-February.

“Jacob loves animals and he’s very outdoorsy,” said Sunshine. “He also likes to shoot pool and just hang out with his friends — always being zany and goofy and keeping everyone laughing.”

Sunshine said the Burley family — including his dad, Ben Mercer, is very appreciative of the community support. Jacob has two older brothers, Joshua Burley and Drake Mercer.

“We’ve had a lot of people reaching out with offers of dinners, gas cards, and lots and lots of prayers,” she said.

Jacob called his guardian angel-of-a-nurse from the hospital the day after his collapse.

“He wanted to thank Ellie, and we wanted to make sure she got some solace in knowing that he was OK and she had made huge difference for him,” said Sunshine.

Thompson is a veteran RN and one of two district nurses contracted through Akron Children’s Hospital. She is fully-trained for time-sensitive emergency situations when every second — every beat of a heart — is critical.

She has two young children in the district and expressed a fondness for being part for becoming part of the Crestview community.

The event of that December early afternoon, she offered, “changed my whole outlook on everything.”

She likely isn’t alone with that mindset.

This past Wednesday, the Crestview Board of Education presented plaques to those saving Jacob.

Sunshine was asked to speak. She did through tears.

“It was all a blur,” she said of that day. “I didn’t know just how severe it was until I went to the (BOE) meeting.

“I’m extremely thankful for how quickly they acted,” she added. “They not only saved his life but there is no neurological damage he could’ve faced had they not acted as quickly as they did.”

She praised the child life team at Akron Children’s Hospital for working with Jacob and assuaging his fears.

“I’m sure Jacob’s family has more gratefulness for Ellie than she would ever know,” Hill said. “Her leadership made all the difference in the world on that day.”

Jacob will carry a four-inch chest scar throughout his life. Memories of that impactful afternoon are what “Team Crestview” members will carry. Heroes, all of them.­

https://www.salemnews.net/news/local-news/2025/01/quicker-than-a-heartbeat/

‘Quicker than a heartbeat!’
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