High School student collapsed at basketball practice

Russ King
2022-12-14T00:00:00-05:00

On Dec. 6, a 17-year-old Chaminade High School student collapsed at basketball practice. A week later, PJ Kellachan is doing "very well," the school told Patch thanks to the actions of Chaminade coaches, staff and students.
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Chaminade Basketball Player Rescued By Coach, Trainer Doing 'Well': HS

MINEOLA, NY — On Dec. 6, a 17-year-old Chaminade High School student collapsed at basketball practice. A week later, PJ Kellachan is doing "very well," the school told Patch thanks to the actions of Chaminade coaches, staff and students.

Assistant basketball coach Bob Paul and athletic trainer Jorge Vargas resuscitated Kellachan after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest after a seizure during practice.

Paul told News 12, "I did not feel a pulse and we knew that his life was on the line."

Vargas started compressions and the pair shocked Kellachan with an AED device. Coach Dan Feeney was on the phone with paramedics, who told the coaches to begin CPR when they still couldn't detect a heartbeat.

Paul said, "we just kept going and going."

The entire ordeal took close to ten minutes. Kellachan's basketball teammates also pitched in, helping to direct the paramedics to the gym.

A spokesperson for Chaminade told Patch that "PJ is doing very well," but still needs to be medically cleared to return to basketball. Kellachan, who lives in Rockville Centre, has visited the school several times to see his classmates and teammates.