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Kenton Ridge volleyball player saves teammate’s grandpa

Photos: Stebbins vs. Kenton Ridge

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Emily Thompson (right) gets a hug from Tess McNeil, a teammate on the Kenton Ridge volleyball team, during Senior Night festivities where Thompson was recognized for giving life-saving assistance to McNeil’s grandfather, Don McNeil. Staff photo by Barbara J. Perenic

Cougars senior honored for lifesaving move

By David Jablonski, Staff Writer Updated 7:46 AM Wednesday, October 14, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Emily Thompson helped her dad, Bill, run the concession stand before the varsity volleyball match at Kenton Ridge High School on Tuesday, Oct. 13. They were selling Airheads — but not Life Savers.

For that, you had to be there Monday when Thompson, a senior for the Cougars, helped save the life of sophomore teammate Tess McNeil’s grandfather, Don McNeil. He collapsed in the stands while the varsity team was warming up for a match.

“I didn’t know if he was having a seizure, a heart attack or a stroke,” Thompson said. “The first thing I thought about was Tess. Then I thought, ‘I’m a lifeguard.’ ”

Thompson, 17, ran into the stands, saw that McNeil was choking and cleared his airway. Thompson checked McNeil’s pulse and talked to him until the paramedics arrived. Only later would they find out McNeil had suffered a heart attack.

“We kind of panicked, but Emily didn’t miss a beat,” head volleyball coach Lori Saunders said.

McNeil had one blockage repaired Tuesday and will have to have two more repaired soon, but there wasn’t much damage done to his heart, his daughter-in-law, Julie McNeil, said. For that, the family credits Thompson.

Before Tuesday’s match at KR, Julie made a special presentation to Thompson: flowers and a $500 scholarship to any college she wishes to attend.

If that’s not enough of a feel-good story, consider that Thompson wouldn’t have known what to do if she had not taken CPR training from Mickey McNeil, Don’s daughter.

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