Francis Howell Middle School’s seventh-grader Austin Redd, 13, collapsed to the floor at the start of class and went into cardiac arrest about 12:45 p.m., officials said.
St. Charles County Deputy Ron Neupert, 50, the school’s resource officer, raced to the gym and found Austin unconscious, not breathing and without a pulse. Neupert started CPR and radioed for an ambulance.
The school’s nurse, Lynne Finnerty, shocked Austin’s heart once with the school’s automatic external defibrillator.
View World Map on AED Locations in a larger map
Shortly after, Austin regained consciousness.
“It seemed like forever, but within a few seconds, he began to breathe on his own and you could see he was coming around,” Neupert said.
Austin is expected to recover.
Marty Limpert, a spokesman for the St. Charles County Ambulance District, said the incident illustrates the need for AEDs in schools and staff trained in life-saving procedures.
“There’s no doubt that they saved his life,” Limpert said.
“It’s awesome,” Neupert said of Austin’s recovery. “These kids are my kids, and I care about every single one of them.”
Francis Howell Middle School Principal Amy Johnston said that Thursday was the first time the school has used its AED since it was installed about eight years ago.
And “hopefully the last,” she said.
