Newton Teen Survives Cardiac Arrest

NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Newton County emergency medical workers said what is called a chain of survival saved a 17- year-old student who went into cardiac arrest at school.

James Norrington said it was combination of people and events that saved his life, from the school nurse to the emergency medical technicians.

Norrington was in physical education class when he said he started feeling ill. The Newton County teen said he ran up some stairs, headed out of the doors and went over to the school's clinic, where he collapsed.

School nurse Linda Pitts said she and the school resource officer tried to resuscitate Norrington.

A Newton County EMS crew arrived within four minutes. EMC workers used LUCAS, a new mechanical CPR machine, to keep Norrington alive until he could reach the hospital.

Emergency workers said all of those involved in helping Norrington made up a chain of survival.

"Everything tied together, one to the other, to the hospital, to the doctors, nurses and any link taken out the outcome probably would not have been as perfect as it is right now," said Kevin Johnson, Director of the Newton County EMS.

Norrington was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, a condition where there is an extra electrical pathway in the heart that can shut it down.

"They did a procedure that burned that extra pathway off and they say usually if it's going to re-occur it will come back in a couple of days, it didn't come back," said Norrington's mother, Nancy.

Nancy Norrington said her son will be ready to head back to school after a little more physical therapy. The emergency medical workers gave the school a Cardiac Arrest Save Award for its quick actions that saved Norrington's life.

"I want to thank them and I appreciate all the things they did and I'm glad to be here today," said James Norrington.