Bronny James was ‘briefly unconscious’ after cardiac arrest and it took six minutes for
Bronny James was briefly unconscious after he suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday and the speed of well-trained University of Southern California staff helped save his life.
The 18-year-old son of LeBron James was preparing for an upcoming 10-day exhibition tour in Greece and Croatia when his heart suddenly stopped beating.
He was resuscitated and rushed to a nearby hospital after a 911 call was made at 9.26am and has since been stabilized and released from intensive care.
Bronny lost consciousness between his cardiac arrest and the time the ambulance arrived, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Fast-acting university staff saved his life and it is the second time a USC player has collapsed on court within the last year.
Bronny James was briefly unconscious after he suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday and the speed of well-trained University of Southern California staff helped save his life
It is the second time a USC player has collapsed on court within the last year after Bronny’s teammate Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed on the court at USC’s Galen Center
Bronny, a freshman basketball player at the college, collapsed on the Trojans’ Galen Center on Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest.
The USC staff were quick to react and he was resuscitated immediately and rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Bronny checked out of the intensive care unit within 24 hours and he is currently in stable condition, a spokesman for the James family confirmed.
It comes after his teammate Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed on the court at USC’s Galen Center after his heart suddenly stopped on July 1 last year.
Three athletic trainers immediately came to his aid and one began administering CPR after less than a minute while another called 911.
The third picked up an automated external defibrillator from the hallway and attached it to his Iwuchukwu’s chest.
It measured his heart rhythm and said he needed a shock. Once the device was used, the teenager immediately regained consciousness and let out a loud wail.
He was awake as the ambulance arrived and spoke to his mother over the phone.
The speed of their reaction helped save his life and USC coach Andy Enfield praised the medical staff earlier this year.
‘With something like this, where it’s a life-or-death situation, to perform under pressure and do what they’re trained to do at that level, it’s really just incredible,’ he said.
‘They gave Vince just such incredible care, as quickly as could be possible in a situation like that.’
Iwuchukwu would return to the court last season following the installation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in his chest, as he went on to play in 14 games for the Trojans.
Bronny’s parents LeBron and Savannah are only concerned with Bronny’s health right now
Bronny checked out of the intensive care unit within 24 hours and he is currently in stable condition, a spokesman for the James family confirmed
James is seen with his father, LeBron James (left) and brother, Bryce, at this year’s ESPY awards
The seven-foot freshman was even reportedly told he would never play basketball again following his cardiac arrest.
Doctors told Bronny’s parents LeBron and Savannah that he is currently on the ‘road to recovery’.
‘If Bronny isn’t able to ever play basketball again, so be it,’ a source close to the family told DailyMail.com. ‘But those decisions are a long way away.’
‘As parents, this has been a nightmare,’ the source told DailyMail.com. ‘Going through this has been very stressful. They just want the best for Bronny. They really can’t believe that this happened and is happening.
‘There is no rush that LeBron and Savannah have to get Bronny out of the hospital, they only want him to get the best care possible and receive all the tests he needs to see what the next stage of recovery will be,’ the source continued. ‘Bronny’s health is all that matters in their world right now.’
Few details have been shared publicly about what caused Bronny’s heart to suddenly stop or what happened before the ambulance arrived on Monday morning.
The incident is believed to have been a Code 3, which signifies the seriousness of the call as it requires ambulance lights and sirens.
‘Yesterday while practicing Bronny James suffered a cardiac arrest. Medical staff was able to treat Bronny and take him to the hospital. He is now in stable condition and no longer in ICU,’ a spokesman for the James family said on Tuesday.
‘We ask for respect and privacy for the James family and we will update media when there is more information.
‘LeBron and Savannah wish to publicly send their deepest thanks and appreciation to the USC medical and athletic staff for their incredible work and dedication to the safety of their athletes.’