A group of people proved to be at the right place at the right time and were able to save the life of a man at a recent basketball game at Perry Middle School.

Perry Activities Director Tom Lipovac says the incident happened on January 17th during a 7th grade basketball game against Ballard. Bernie Rangel of Perry was refereeing the game and began experiencing trouble with his heart. He collapsed near the home bleachers just before the start of the third quarter. His fellow referee, Jamie Bruggeman, noticed him and had the scorer’s table call 9-11. He then asked the crowd if anyone was a doctor or nurse, and four Ballard fans — Melanie Hermann, Jen Doolittle, Sara Oldenkamp, and Mark Watson — came to help, as did James Leber, a Reserve Deputy for the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and volunteer EMT for the Perry Fire Department. The five individuals performed CPR, and Leber used the school’s automated external defibrillator (AED) to get Rangel’s heart going. His heartbeat returned by the time paramedics arrived, and he was taken to the hospital for further treatment.

Lipovac reports that Rangel is doing well, but is still recovering at the hospital. He adds that the entire school district is thankful for the individuals who stepped up to help, as they turned a potential tragedy into a life-saving triumph. This was the first time an AED has been put into use at a Perry school, though the District has six of them at different locations. There’s a device at each of the three school buildings, as well as at the field house, the athletic complex, and the Perry Country Club. Superintendent Clark Wicks says the incident highlighted the importance of the AEDs, and the District is now placing an emphasis on making sure there is someone on-hand at every event who is trained to use one.

The District is also planning a special presentation to honor the five individuals responsible for saving Rangel’s life. The event will be held between the girls and boys varsity basketball games against Ballard on February 1st, and Lipovac is hopeful each of the heroes can attend. Rangel also plans to be at the presentation to offer his thanks.