BILLERICA, MA-- Someone was watching over David Graham the Monday before Thanksgiving.
And he's sure thankful for it.
The 64-year-old Billerica resident collapsed onto the Parker Elementary School basketball court between league games Nov. 25. He had gone into cardiac arrest.
Because of a swift and coordinated effort among players, an assistant principal working late at the school and emergency personnel, Graham was revived and was able to witness a recognition ceremony in their honor Monday night.
"I'm very blessed," said Graham, who's lived in North Billerica since 1978.
"We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving that Sunday after getting out of the hospital, and it felt great to be home. I was very thankful," he added.
At Monday night's selectmen's meeting, the four who worked together on Nov. 25 to revive Graham were honored. Selectmen presented a proclamation for the group, who had performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to revive Graham.
"These responsible individuals performed a purposeful, distinctive and successful life-saving act," according to the proclamation, read by Selectman Mike Rosa. "The Billerica Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the town, express their warm appreciation and gratitude to Christine Gibelli, David Buffum, David Healy and Derek Mallinson for their heroic efforts and preparedness."
After Graham had played his first game on that chaotic Monday night, he was getting ready for the second one. He did a "360" and collapsed on the court before the game started as he went into cardiac arrest.
Buffum, who's played basketball with Graham since the 1970s, said it was a "very, very scary situation."
"But everybody reacted perfectly and pitched in to save him," said Buffum, who had recently finished a first-aid course, which helped with performing CPR and applying the AED. "Everything fell into place, having the first-aid course a week before and the assistant principal working late."
The assistant principal at Parker Elementary School, Gibelli, quickly showed Buffum and Mallinson where the AED was in the building, while Healy called 911. Gibelli showed them how to put the defibrillator on Graham, and then the device walked them through the process.
"It was a blur," said Mallinson, who completes first-aid training every six months for his company. "I went into training-mode. It was like clockwork."
"It's one thing to do it in a calm situation, but another thing entirely to do it in a stressful situation like that," Piwowar said. "To maintain composure is fantastic. I couldn't be prouder of what took place there."
It's a district-wide policy to have AEDs in all buildings, Piwowar said.
Joseph Devlin, paramedic supervisor for Billerica's Emergency Medical Services, said the schools have been very proactive in getting the defibrillators, as well as Town Hall and other town buildings.
"They're starting to pop up more and more, and he (Graham) is walking around because these devices are around," Devlin said. "They are truly life-saving machines."
Graham said he lost a full day of memory after collapsing on the court. Stents were placed in the next day at Lahey Clinic in Burlington; a narrow artery had caused the cardiac arrest, he said.
Today, Graham feels good, and he heads to Lowell's Saints campus three times a week for cardiac rehab.
While his buddies went over to the Parker gym after Monday's recognition, Graham said he hopes to play again next fall.
"I'm just happy to be here," he said.
SOURCE: Rick Sobey, The Lowell Sun
Read more: http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_24859849/billerica-four-this-was-no-game#ixzz2pjCHfpKW