Pursuit / spring 2011 - Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education ...

FACULTY nOTES
RemaRkable ReacTIon
Second-yeaR STudenT honouRed foR lIfeSavIng SkIllS
SeCond-yeAr Bphe student Mark
Thomas was commended for his courage
under pressure with a Toronto Police
community service award, handed out by
Chief William Blair at a special ceremony
on April 2.
Thomas, a volunteer coach with his
high school rugby team, was on the
field last April when a member of the
opposing team was critically injured and
left unconscious after a tackle. Quick on
his feet, Thomas rushed to the player and,
together with a medic, performed CPR
until emergency services staff arrived. The
16-year-old player was revived on the way
to the hospital, which doctors say may not
6 Pursuit / spring 2011
have happened had Thomas and the medic
on duty not reacted so quickly with their
skills.
“I’ve been a lifeguard for a couple
years,” says Thomas when asked about
his quick response to the tragedy. “I also
called on the skills that I learned from my
physical activity classes. I hope that no one
else ever has to be in that situation, but
it’s good that CPR is part of the first-year
program because you never know when
you’ll be called on to use it.”
Thomas, who starts his first year as a
member of the Varsity Blues rugby team in
September, says that while the experience
definitely rattled him, it hasn’t scared him
off the game – and has actually taught him
something about about himself. “You’re
never sure how you’ll react in a situation
like that, but I didn’t think twice. It was
really hard seeing someone unconscious
and trying to revive them. But I did know
exactly what to do when I saw someone in
need.”
Thomas has been in touch with the
family throughout the boy’s recovery. It’s
been a long road for the injured young
athlete, who suffered a heart attack and
required brain surgery after the hit, but with
rehab he is constantly improving. Thomas
says the family has plans to reunite everyone
soon to celebrate a full recovery. —VI