Quick-thinking students and an athletic trainer at MacArthur High School in San Antonio, Texas, saved the life of their history teacher when he suffered a cardiac arrest during an after-school skate club meeting.
God is always watching over His children. We do not know what will happen next in our lives, but God already knows and He has a plan in place. That’s how we see His hand moving through small or big situations in our lives.
Most of us have experienced this through other people, even strangers, as God used them as instruments to help us. In this story, we can see how God placed the right people at the right time, equipped with the knowledge and courage to save a precious life.
During a regular skate club meeting at MacArthur High School, 46-year-old Adam Compton was skating “real mellow” to conserve energy when he suddenly felt something was wrong.
“I felt myself kind of snap out of what felt like a daydream,” Compton recalled. Concerned about his supervision duties, he asked a nearby student how long he had been unconscious. After learning it had been a few minutes, everything went dark.
The situation quickly became critical. Students observed Compton hyperventilating after a failed skating trick before losing consciousness. Without hesitation, the students sprang into action.
While some ran to find athletic trainer Amanda Boyd, others, including junior Aidan Anthony-Gonzalez and senior Steven Amaro, searched for a defibrillator.
When Boyd arrived, she found Compton colorless and unresponsive. She immediately checked for a pulse and, finding none, began CPR.
By God’s perfect timing, Amaro had just finished his ADRCPR training a few weeks before. Together with Anthony-Gonzalez, they retrieved the automated external defibrillator (AED) and prepared it for use.
“I kept saying, ‘Focus on my voice, Mr. Compton. Keep your eyes open. Come on, breathe,'” Anthony-Gonzalez recalled.
The team worked together seamlessly – Boyd and Amaro positioned the AED pads and administered the crucial shock that ultimately revived Compton.
Amaro demonstrated exceptional leadership during the emergency. “We were all scared 100%, but I think I was the most confident because I knew if I was calm that it probably lead to a better outcome,” he explained.
“Because if you’re panicked, you’re going to be thinking what to do next and not thinking – in order – what to do.”
After paramedics arrived and took over, Compton was rushed to the hospital. Doctors discovered his cardiac arrest was caused by a genetic heart disorder, which he had previously dismissed as a simple heart murmur.
Compton received a pacemaker and returned to teaching AP US History and World Geography at MacArthur High School just a week later.
For Compton, the near-death experience brought a profound appreciation for life and family. During Thanksgiving, he found himself repeatedly looking at his wife and children, overwhelmed by the thought, “I almost didn’t have this.”
Compton expressed deep gratitude to his rescuers, saying, “I’m just eternally grateful. That’s what it comes down to.”
God’s hand was clearly visible in this story. Even when we have the right knowledge and training, we might freeze or panic in crucial moments. But God gives us the clarity of mind and strength to use our skills when they matter most. He guided these students and their trainer, keeping them calm and focused as they worked together to save their teacher’s life.
We thank God for protecting Mr. Compton and guiding these young heroes as they saved his life. Let’s keep Mr. Compton in our prayers as he gets stronger and continues teaching his students.
WATCH: Heroic Students Save Teacher After Cardiac Arrest
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