Pinckney community rallies after man suffers medical emergency at volleyball game

Pinckney man suffers medical emergency during high school volleyball game

Players from different teams came together in support after a student?s dad went into cardiac arrest at Pinckney High School?s JV volleyball game Thursday night.

PINCKNEY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Players from different teams came together in support after a student’s dad went into cardiac arrest at Pinckney High School’s JV volleyball game Thursday night.

The backstory:

Doug Bradshaw was one of the officials at the volleyball game. He says mid-game — the man collapsed in the audience.

"The player whose parent it was that was in trouble began to run in that direction," said Bradshaw. "And so all our attention went to that direction. What’s over there? I see a person slumped over in a chair."

Doug says community members quickly snapped into action and started performing CPR on the man right away.

"I saw that person’s training come right to the service then administrators and coaches brought in an AED and then first responders were there, a really quick response," Bradshaw said.

That’s because two Putnam Township firefighters were at the football field for a separate game.

They arrived within moments.

"Happy to report about 40 minutes into these life saving efforts, we transported the patient with a pulse. He was talking to staff when we got him to U of M hospital, though still in critical condition this morning he is doing much better," said Putnam Township Fire Chief Curt Ruf.

Local perspective:

A community effort — to save a life through CPR, know-how, quick-thinking — and faith.

"A very bold young lady came out and said I don’t know what you believe about God but I’m going to pray at this time, would you please pray with me and everyone respected that moment and there was an out loud audible prayer for the family and the person," Ruf said.

Doug says in that moment, the Pinckney community was united.

"It brings to light that people are understanding when bad things happen we’ve got to come together and parents, coaches, administrators witnessed these kids that what you do is not draw apart, you come together. They were wearing different uniforms, opponents moments before that. But not in that moment."