Community comes together to save life at Freedom softball game – The Times

FREEDOM Trisha Speicher sat perched on a bucket near the Freedom softball dugout, diligently keeping score as her younger sister Tara and the Bulldogstook on Beaver Falls in early April.

The Bulldogs were six outs away from getting their first victory of the season. But just as a new batter was about to step into the box, everything stopped.

I was sitting on the bucket keeping score and I heard my grandma say, David, Trisha Speicher recalled. She never calls him that unless hes in trouble.

David Speicher is Tara and Trisha's grandfather. On April 6, he was sitting in his chair, right behind the home plate backstop, there to support Tara, who is the senior captain for the Bulldogs.

Just after the final out in the top of the fifth inning was recorded, something went wrong with David. His wife Beverly was the first to notice.

We were sitting there watching the game and he started making a strange noise, Beverly Speicher said. He was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses so I couldnt see a lot of his face. I asked him if he was OK, and I got no answer.

David and Beverly have been married for a long time, and getting an answer from David on the first try isn't uncommon for Beverly. But on this occasion, David wasn't just having trouble hearing his wife.

I stood up and asked him again if he was OK and he still didnt respond, Beverly said. Then I flipped up his sunglasses and yelled his name. Thats when everyone else noticed that he needed help.

Amy Speicher Davids daughter-in-law was sitting right next to David and Beverly. As a registered nurse at Heritage Valley Beaver Hospital, it took just seconds to recognize that David needed medical assistance. She immediately sprang into action.

His eyes were open, but he was non-responsive, Amy said. I yelled for Chuck (Amys husband and assistant coach on the Freedom softball team) to help me get him down on the ground so we could start CPR.

David Speicher was having a heart attack. He was unresponsive with no pulse. But in a dark moment, the community sprang into action.

Amy immediately took control, ordering Trisha a sophomore at Slippery Rock University to run to her vehicle and grab a one-way valve mask to assist with CPR.

I was literally thinking, Man, I used to be a lot faster than this, Trisha recalled as she sprinted to her parents vehicle. I wasnt even completely sure what I was looking for. I just remember hearing glove box. I found a white bag inside and lucky thats what they needed.

After recognizing the situation taking place behind home plate, Greg Scheck and his father Jim Scheck, rushed to offer their help. Both are volunteer firefighters at Big Knob VFD in Rochester and have valuable experience in scenarios like this.

Corey Waggoner and Mike Guraly were two more parents of Freedom players who came to assist. Beaver Falls assistant coach Dave Clark also rushed out of the Tigers' dugout to lend a hand.

I was running the scoreboard and all of a sudden I heard my daughter yelling for me to come help, Scheck said. When I ran to Amy, she told me David didnt have a pulse. As soon as I heard that, my training kicked in.

As the six medical professionals in attendance did everything they could, valuable resources arrived shortly after. Trisha returned with the mask, then Freedom athletic trainer Alex Rawding arrived with an automated external defibrillator (AED). Together, their efforts ended up saving David Speichers life.

It was just amazing how quickly Amy, Greg and everyone else stepped up to help my dad, Chuck Speichersaid. In less than five minutes we had people giving him CPR and had an AED used on him. That quick response time is why my dad is still here.

It shocked him once and within a couple of minutes he was responsive again, Amy said. He even knew the score of the game. We asked him where he was and he responded, The last I recall, it was 5-1, which was the score.

While sudden life-saving situations might be more of a norm for the nurses and EMTs who helped that evening, Rawding said it was a first-time experience for her, despite being an athletic trainer for nearly a decade.

It was my first time using an AED on someone, Rawding said. In a moment like that, you just go on autopilot. It wasnt something I really even thought about. Everyone there did what they did because it had to be done.

Its now been over a month since David Speicher suffered a heart attack at his granddaughters softball game. He's feeling better - well enough, in fact, that he was in attendance to celebrate Tara's final game in a Freedom uniform on May 12.

After the AED helped David regain consciousness, he said he was told to lay on his side until an ambulance arrived. David was taken to Heritage Valley Beaver, where he spent the next five days after having a pacemaker installed.

As David continues to recover, all of those who were attendance that evening have started to reflect on everything that took place.

For Tara Speicher, the sight of her grandfather in pain was nearly unbearable. Yet, the support she received in the dugout from her teammates during one of the scariest moments of her life is something she says she wont forget.

I really couldnt do much because I dont have the medical training other people there did, Tara said. I just remember my team being there for me the whole time. The whole team was praying for me at one point. That meant a lot.

Freedom head coach Bill Boggs was the first person to shine light on the entire situation, posting his praise on his Facebook page for all the individuals who stepped in to help. He believes the horrific circumstances ended up showing everything that is great about his community.

People normally come to our games to see the kids play and hope for a win, Boggs said. On that day, it was so much more than just a high school event. It was amazing.

Community pride was a common theme amongst all of those who were asked to speak about what took place on April 6. Another common theme expressed was gratitude. No one voiced their appreciation more than David and Beverly Speicher.

If this wouldve happened at any other place, I wouldnt be around, Dave said. The people there that evening are the reason Im still here.

We cant say enough how appreciative we are, Beverly said. It was a group effort that everyone there deserves credit for. We both have so much love for everyone that was involved.

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Community comes together to save life at Freedom softball game - The Times