HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — Ansel Laureano, a 17-year-old high school senior, is alive today thanks to a life-saving device and the actions of his coach and school staff after he collapsed during track practice at Leto High School in Tampa.
Lauren Palek, the high school’s girls track coach, described the ordinary day.
“Ansel was in good spirits. We did a warm-up mile and he was joking about his mile time. Regular Monday,” she said.
However, right after one of their first training exercises, Laureano suddenly collapsed at the finish line. Palek said she rushed to Laureano’s aid.
“He just dropped,” recalled the high school coach. “It almost looked like he was having a seizure, to be honest. So when I was talking to the 911 operator and we were checking his vitals, even though he was still kind of moving, we could tell he wasn’t breathing. So then, she instructed me to start CPR.”
“It doesn’t even seem real because I do this every day. It’s my thing,” said Laureano in an interview.
Assistant Principal Scott Hazlett retrieved the automated external defibrillator (AED) while Hillsborough County deputy Deena Biland arrived at the scene.
“When I got to the track and you’re looking, it’s almost surreal,” said Hazlett.
Laureano’s mother, Bismeiry Lantigua, received the call from the school, informing her that he son was critical and unresponsive. She shared the emotional moment when her son finally woke up, calling it a miracle.
“I’m just crying, crying,” she recalled. “God gave a huge one for me.”
Ansel, now in recovery, expressed gratitude for the quick response.
“I’m just really grateful for my school and everything for helping me and stuff, and for the deputy that revived me,” he said.
“These calls stick with you, and I’ll absolutely remember it my entire career,” said deputy Biland.
In just one week and a half, Lantigua said Laureano has made leaps in his recovery. Meanwhile the school is emphasizing just how important it is to have an AED on campus.
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