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'It didn't feel real': Nelson County parents credit heroic coaches for saving son's life

Carson Dickey, a baseball player, was trying out for football for the first time when he collapsed.

NELSON COUNTY, Ky. — A near tragedy happened on June 20 on the football field at Old Kentucky Home Middle School.

Carson Dickey, a baseball player, was trying out for football for the first time when he collapsed.

"[I'm] very blessed to see that I get to see everybody and I get to live the rest of my life as best as possible," Carson said.

All of the coaches were fearful when he collapsed.

"Well I remember standing, looking down and looking at him, thinking I can't believe we been out here 10 minutes and we got a 13-year-old boy laying on the ground that's possibly dead," coach Tim Paxton said.

It's a call no parent wants to receive.

"I was thinking God is going to take my baby today and I'm not ready he is too young, you know a parent should never have to go through that with their child," said Brittany Dickey, Carson's mother.

The coaches were performing CPR and called an athletic trainer at the nearby high school. Brittany Woodward ran with an automated external defibrillator (AED) and then did everything the defibrillator told her to do.

"Immediately pulled his shirt up, got the pads on, and just let the machine do the work, just let it tell us when there was a shock, clear the body, press the button," she said.    

After detecting a pulse, EMS arrived and Carson remained in Norton Children's Hospital sedated for a week.

He doesn't remember that day, but he does recall hearing his parents' voices while intubated.

"It felt like a dream, it didn't feel real at all but finally it was," Carson said.

He had been diagnosed with Wolff Parkinson White syndrome while in the hospital. His parents said it was their faith and prayers that got them by.

Carson's dad, Charlie Dickey, said there were "so many kind and loving people that adore him and love him that were praying for him."

Every time they walk on that field they said this is a miracle they will never forget. Now they hope other schools take heed of the main message and always have an AED on site for any life-threatening emergencies.

And the coaches are happy to still have Carson with them.

"Just relieved that he is okay, just glad he is okay and glad that we know what is wrong with him so that he can live a good life, and hopefully he can still play football because he looks like a good football player," said the coaches.

It was an emotional experience for everyone including his best friend, Isaac Moss, who witnessed it all.

"I couldn't handle it I broke down in tears I wanted to be out there with him, and I couldn't be out there with him, because they wanted to keep me away to do what they needed to do to keep him from passing," he said.

Now, Carson and his family and coaches all hope everyone else gets AED training to help save other lives.

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