MANASSAS, VA (NBC) — A Virginia teen baseball player who went into cardiac arrest after an unusual play was saved by the quick actions of a teammate.
“My body feels like nothing happened,” said Steve Smith, whose life was saved by his friend Paul Dow. “Mentally, seeing everyone kind of traumatized, it’s kind of a crazy thing to experience.”
It was a freak accident at the Manassas Blue and Grey Tournament team practice two weeks ago.
Smith was running from second to third base when the catcher threw the ball, accidentally hitting him under the left arm pit.
The ball hit his heart, causing commotio cordis, a lethal disruption of the heart rhythm.
Smith then went into cardiac arrest.
“All I hear is coach Tim Smith say, ‘Does anyone know CPR?’ and I said, ‘I know CPR,’ Dow said
Dow recently learned CPR while trying to become a lifeguard.
“I jump in, did CPR, like, I felt like I was having a spiritual conversation with him as he is sitting there slowly dying,” he said.
Moments later, they said Smith regained consciousness.
Medics arrived and airlifted him to the hospital.
He was in a medically induced coma for three days and then woke up.
His family said his recovery is nothing short of a miracle.