By Claudia DoCampo • •
Coaches who helped save the life of a South Florida high school wrestler were honored Wednesday at a hospital ceremony.
Javon Alls, 17, almost died during a wrestling match at Miami Southridge Senior High School when his heart was in distress.
“I just remember putting on my shoes and that’s the last thing I remember,” All recalled Wednesday.
But his coaches acted quickly and were able to save his life in part by using the school’s automated external defibrillator or AED machine to stabilize Alls’ heart.
“Having an AED that is able to be at the scene of any collapsed victim within minutes of the event is crucial,” said Melissa Olen from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.
“To do what they did requires drills, required repetition, no less and even more than fire drills,” cardiologist Dr. Ronald Kanter added.
Alls was diagnosed with a type of malfunction of the electrical activity of his heart and had an internal defibrillator and pacemaker implanted.
