Aliso Viejo coaches perform CPR, save student's life

Thursday, November 20, 2014
Aliso Viejo coaches perform CPR, save student's life
Two high school coaches took heroic drastic action to save the life of a 15-year-old boy who collapsed Monday night at Aliso Niguel High School.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (KABC) -- Two high school coaches took heroic drastic action to save the life of a 15-year-old boy who collapsed Monday night at Aliso Niguel High School.

"I'm thinking about his family, even to this point," said teacher Peter Butler, the girls volleyball coach.

Butler replays what happened to Jaewon Yun during basketball practice at Aliso Niguel High School Monday night.

"The other coach, Doug Fleming, was over the victim and I said, 'Is he breathing?'" said Butler.

The 15-year-old basketball player had collapsed. Butler was next door coaching girls volleyball. They called 911.

"The student was clinically dead. So both coaches acted very quickly, they stayed calm," said Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Concialdi.

Butler and Fleming performed CPR. They also credit a defibrillator.

"Put it on, it said 'shock advised,' so I look at him and he just goes 'Yeah,' so I pushed the button. At that time he started foaming at the mouth a little bit, and we saw his chest go up, so I was like, 'That's really good,'" said Butler.

They continued CPR until paramedics arrived. Yun regained consciousness.

"They said, 'How do you feel?' He said, 'Better,'" said Butler.

The automated external defibrillator (AED) was donated by Gail Myers, whose 14-year-old daughter Megan collapsed during a cross-country meet and died in 2007.

Myers' family donated more than 20 AEDs to the Capistrano Unified School District in Megan's memory. Gail Myers talked with Butler by phone.

In a strange twist, Butler's father was Megan's coach at Dana Hills High School.

"You saved a life, so congratulations," said Myers.

Yun was listed in moderate condition and Children's Hospital of Orange County and is expected to undergo surgery.

Coaches and staff at the school are required to undergo first-aid and CPR training every two years.