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Pickleball Hero: Off-Duty Firefighter Saves Player's Life
13 Jan
Summary
- Off-duty firefighter John Rowlands saved Rob Frith's life.
- Frith suffered a heart attack during a pickleball game last month.
- AED and chest compressions were crucial in Frith's survival.
Rob Frith, a high school football coach, has emotionally reunited with the off-duty firefighter, John Rowlands, credited with saving his life last month. Frith collapsed during a pickleball game in Orange County due to a sudden heart attack, losing consciousness until he woke in an ambulance.
Rowlands, playing on an adjacent court, rushed to Frith's aid, performing chest compressions for 10-15 minutes until paramedics arrived. The intervention was critical, especially with the swift arrival of a Sheriff's deputy carrying an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), and the combined efforts of Rowlands, a retired firefighter, and a nurse.
Doctors later discovered an undetected heart defect as the cause of Frith's cardiac arrest. His wife expressed profound gratitude, calling Rowlands and the others "forever heroes" for their life-saving actions, ensuring their family remains together.
