Sep 14, 2021Minnesota High School ATC Saves Vet’s Life During Football Game
Over the weekend, a high school athletic trainer’s quick thinking and fast actions saved the life of someone who fought for our freedoms.
During Hutchinson (MN) High School’s ‘Red, White, & Blue Service Appreciation Night,’ the Tigers were accompanied by military veterans on the field before kickoff, as they were holding a large American flag draped across the field as planes flew above, according to a report from KSTP ABC-5.
Not long after the pregame ceremony, a veteran became unresponsive on the sidelines — where Amy Rogotzke, ATC, was close by.
Below is an excerpt from KSTP ABC-5’s report on Rogotzke’s heroics.
“We lowered him to the ground and initiated the CPR,” Rogotzke said.
“While we were working on him for a little bit he ended up thankfully coming to,” Rogotzke added. “Which is not often the case so we were very, very fortunate.”
An automated external defibrillator, or AED, was not needed at the Hutchinson football game. In a tweet, Hutchinson High School called Amy a “lifesaver.”
This is Amy. Amy is our athletic trainer. And tonight, Amy is a lifesaver. 1/#WeAreHutch pic.twitter.com/JhUmz1KArS
— Hutchinson High School (MN) (@HutchTigers) September 11, 2021
This isn’t the first time a person collapsed on the sideline of a high school football game this season and needed life-saving measures.
On Sept. 3, Waseca head football coach Brad Wendland went into cardiac arrest with 31 seconds left in the game. An AED was needed and within five minutes Wendland became responsive. He even wanted to finish the game but instead was sent to the hospital. He was sent home a few days later and is doing well.
Rogotzke tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS as some of her colleagues reached out with support following Friday’s game, they told her they were recently in similar situations but were not able to save the person’s life.
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Rogotzke says she’s still processing what happened. One thing she does know and mentioned multiple times: the importance of knowing CPR and how to use an AED.
“You could be at a family birthday party, you could be at the mall, you could be at work and you just never know something could happen that you really need to know these lifesaving skills for,” Rogotzke said. “Time is of the essence when this happens.”
