First responders win praise for lifesaving actions at basketball game

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office praised its deputies and other first responders for taking lifesaving action when an official collapsed on the court during a West St. Mary High basketball game.
K9 Sgt. Ashleigh Wilson, a school resource and DARE officer, and husband Lt. Chad Wilson were working at St. Mary’s home game with Loreauville.
After the referee collapsed, he had no pulse and was not breathing. The Wilsons immediately began to administer CPR, the Sheriff’s office said.
The trainer, Wydrick Harding, also joined in as the lifesaving techniques continued over the next few minutes. Sgt. Daesha Hughes, Juvenile Investigations, New Iberia Police Department, was there to watch the game and came out of the crowd to assist as well. Eventually, firefighters with the Baldwin Fire Department arrived with an automated external defibrillator to assist.
Sgt. Wilson asked Deputies Nick Lestage and Stephanie Hedges to take charge of getting the crowd to leave the gym, which they did.
Acadian Ambulance arrived and took charge of the medical care. “Sean Dennis and Caleb Trahan with Acadian were awesome,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “They provided top-notch care at that moment and transported him to a local medical facility. “
Another referee at the game was Sgt. Craig Lewis, Criminal Investigations, New Iberia Police Department. Lewis traveled to the medical facility and stayed until the family arrived.
“All in all, this was an incredible team effort to help this man in his time of need,” the Sheriff’s Office said.