Teamwork Saves Life at Val Lewis Father/Son Father’s Day Tourney in Sacramento
By Steve LaMontia, Director of Communications
Over the recent Father’s Day weekend, the Sacramento MSBL held the annual Val Lewis Father/Son Tournament. Champions were crowned, a good time was had by all, and most importantly, the life of Chris Bush was saved.
Sacramento League President Alan Van Ness contacted us with the details and asked us to acknowledge the heroes. We are happy to do so.
“An SMSBL Father, Chris Bush, went down in the dugout with a heart attack,” outlined Alan. “An 18-year-old player from the other team, who is an EMT, ran into the dugout and performed aggressive CPR, assisted by a nurse.
Another player ran to the local facility office and asked where the AED (Defibrillator) was located. They used it to shock his heart, he was revived, then the ambulance showed up and took him to the hospital. He had heart surgery on Father’s Day and survived. The Doctor said if not for the CPR and the AED, he would not have made it.”
“Briana Reason was first on the scene and immediately began giving directions to lay Bush flat, open his airways, remove his shirt and shoes, call 911, and ask if there was a defibrillator around, all before and as the player/EMT and wife/nurse arrived in the dugout,” explained Grandfather and teammate Greg Reason.
“She then talked on the phone to 911 while the nurse and EMT performed CPR and successfully operated the defib. They were truly the best on the field that day and I am extremely proud of my granddaughter Briana.
She deserves a medal for her quick thinking and management under pressure. I was so impressed seeing her in action and so was my 14-year-old Grandson Jaeden. ‘I didn’t know she could do that’, he said. They indeed saved that man’s life. I can hear my Dad saying, ‘Well, she is a Reason’, pretending to not be too impressed while doing backflips in his mind. What a day!”
Alan wanted to make sure that everyone involved in saving Chris’ life was mentioned and thanked for their life-saving efforts. Below is a gallery of those involved.
Darin Pometta – RCOA Umpire and retired Sheriff is the person who installed the AED pads and shocked him back to life.
Bob Levin – Retired AD from Florin High School, is the one who ran to the Mather Sports complex office and found the AED while running back in time to use it.
Briana Reason – First one on the scene as she was a player on this downed player’s team. Her detailed contribution has been previously outlined.
Antonio Peter Salinas – The 18-year-old EMT who performed CPR, and who was on the other team (North Bay Sox).
(Note from Alan Van Ness: Antonio Salinas is the 18-year-old EMT who jumped in to start the chest Compressions. I was asked two weeks before the F/S tournament by his dad Peter to find them a team. The North Bay Sox were short players. Three days before the tournament the Sox manager said he hadn’t heard from Peter. So, I called him and coaxed him into committing to play. Peter is our SMSBL 35 Red Hawks manager and never played with his older son.)
Angie Suarez – The Nurse in the stands whose husband and son were also on the NB Sox. She was hands-on and instrumental in helping with CPR and chest compressions.
Ruben Labrado – He was the player who opened the airway while the chest compression was going on. He also is a retired Sheriff and ironically was the partner of the umpire (Darin Pometta) who installed the AED pads. Ruben also is Chris Bush’s teammate on the SMSBL 50+ Orioles. They have known each other for a long time.
“The good news is that Chris is recovering in the ICU at this time,” concluded Van Ness.
We couldn’t leave you without an update from a thankful Chris Bush as he recovers.
“My moment of clarity was definitely not a clear moment as it happened, but the moment itself not only opened my eyes but hopefully opened the eyes of others: my friends, my brothers, and my fellow ball players. As I walked onto the field of play on that fateful and beautiful day alongside my young son Chicago, I couldn’t help but feel such a fulfillment of pride that all of us fathers, sons, and family members felt.
Day two of our beloved MSBL Father-Son Tournament was about to begin at the Depot. Yes, victory was on all of our minds. Competition was stiff, as the team we were playing was definitely a handful but we were playing well enough to make it a competitive contest. As I basked in the moments of one of the funnest and most meaningful experiences of my life, I experienced a tragic moment that changed me forever.
As I was on deck planning out my approach for my upcoming at-bat, I began to feel a tingling sensation all over my body and literally felt my lights of life about to turn off. I entered the dark with a heavy beating chest as I passed out only to be brought back to the light by an amazing collaboration of people that I now look at as angels.
There were many intangibles that had to be in place for my survival and all were fortunately there and applied that day; Great and dedicated humans, a defibrillator device, and the knowledge and the correct technique of CPR administered. That combo saved my life and the Bush family is forever thankful and indebted to those people. I thank you and commend you!”