Ypsilanti man brings golfer back to life with on-course CPR
Sid Hodges helped revive a man on a New Buffalo golf course last week.
Courtesy of Gwen Hodges
In his 31 years as a dental lab technician at Milan Dental Associates, Sid Hodges has had to take CPR training courses every few years.
But it wasn’t until he was on a golf course across the state from the office that all those hours of training would become so vital.
While Hodges and his group waited to tee off at the 15th hole of Whitaker Woods Golf Club in New Buffalo last Wednesday, the 55-year-old Ypsilanti resident looked down the par 3 and saw the last member of the group in front of him retrieve his ball from the hole and replace the flagstick.
As he walked off the green, the man hunched over, then stood up and staggered.
Then he fell.
“Flat on his face,” Hodges said.
In about 30 seconds, Hodges was at Bill Pruitt’s side. He found him unconscious, not breathing and with no pulse.
But in the moment, his training took over and Hodges said he began chest compressions just as if Pruitt were the dummy from CPR classes.
“I was more calm than I thought I would be,” Hodges said.
Pruitt soon began breathing again, and for 20 minutes Hodges and other members of the group took turns giving chest compressions until EMTs arrived. He was shocked out of cardiac arrest and rushed to the hospital.
The 59-year-old Griffith, Ind. resident woke up a few hours later in a hospital room, where his playing partners informed him of the stranger who had brought him back to life.
“I was dead.” Pruitt said Tuesday afternoon as he was getting ready to be discharged from the hospital, where doctors reopened a fully-blocked coronary artery. “They had to zap me four times, but he said that if it wasn’t for the CPR that I would be dead for sure.”
While Pruitt made a quick recovery, Hodges and his group had left the golf course not knowing what became of him. But when he ran into a few policemen at a coffee shop the next day, and thought one of them had been at the scene, he asked for an update.
“I’m sure he died,” Hodges recalled the policeman saying. “They usually don’t make it.”
But when they went to play Whitaker Woods again the following day, the group got the good news from a golf course employee — Hodges had returned to Milan following the weekend and said earlier this week, he planned on speaking with Pruitt about what happened.
Last week marked Pruitt’s second heart attack on a golf course in just more than a year. Last May, he stayed conscious until he got to the hospital.
On Wednesday, he needed far more help. But he had the right group behind him.
“They took the time and the effort to save my life,” Pruitt said. “And I could never thank them enough.”
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.
Comments
mady
Fri, Jun 21, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.
Sid Hodges, Good For you!!!! Free golf for life, also clothing/shoes/equipment etc., etc., etc.!
walker101
Fri, Jun 21, 2013 : 2:16 a.m.
Great job, CPR should be a requirement course in high school or college, I was an instructor and was certified for over 20 years, most large companies require that employees take a yearly class as part of safety courses, many would be surprised to know how many lives are saved at work and during after hours with heart attacks.
G-Man
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 12:59 p.m.
Where can we go for CPR update classes?
Kyle Austin
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 1:24 p.m.
G-Man, here is a link to classes in the next month offered by the Red Cross in Washtenaw County: http://www.redcross.org/courses/index.jsp?_requestid=176838
alnan
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 4:22 a.m.
WOW Sid, That is what all our taking CPR classes are meant for. "JUST IN CASE" And you were there at the right time. Thanks
brian
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 2:52 a.m.
Good job Ypsilanti man.
nickcarraweigh
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 11:47 p.m.
The victim needs a new hobby.
A2BAC
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 10:33 a.m.
The victim needs to take improving his health more seriously. If this happens behind the wheel others may also be at risk.
Indymama
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 10:37 p.m.
Oops! I did not mean Hodges should stop playing golf. I meant the one who had the heart attack. Hodges and his playing partners were heros!!
Indymama
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 10:33 p.m.
That guy better stop playing golf!!
Kyle Austin
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 1:22 p.m.
He mentioned to me that he's done for the year...didn't say anything beyond that
justcary
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 9:45 p.m.
Exemplary display of humanity in action, Hodges! This is what humans do for other humans, and it helps to have some training! Compassion is innate. So is morality. Keep up the good work, homo sapiens!
Anonymous
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 9:18 p.m.
Thank you the bystanders not mentioned or pictured. You are all heros!
Elaine F. Owsley
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 8:45 p.m.
Staff members in were taught CPR because with groups of people attending courses at the Towsley Center, you never new when it might be needed. A great idea for any business that has outside attendance... movie theaters, ball parks, skating rinks, restaurants, any number of others, churches, schools, etc.
Doug
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 8:40 p.m.
Hopefully he will receive an award for this heroic action!
dugster
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 8:18 p.m.
Nice going Sid, I want you on my team or behind me at the next church golf outing. Extra insurance.
Jonathan Blutarsky
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 8:53 p.m.
Oh shoot - I meant to give you a thumb up not down.
Kyle Mattson
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 7:17 p.m.
Wow great story. Gives me reason enough to put learning CPR on my to-do list. Also, Whitaker is a great track. I play it every fall, if you're ever out in that area make it a point to play there.
Ann English
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 11:57 p.m.
Griffith, Indiana residents are very close to New Buffalo, Michigan; our southwesternmost county (Berrien) borders Indiana's northwesternmost (Lake).
An Arborigine
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:58 p.m.
Nice work and well beyond par for the course!
Dirty Mouth
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:58 p.m.
Hero! And he remembered his CPR training!
Arbuckle
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:43 p.m.
Wonderful job, Mr. Hodges. You are certainly a hero.
Geoff Larcom
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:40 p.m.
Great story, and a reminder to brush up on these skills. Thanks, AA.com and Kyle Austin.
Epengar
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:35 p.m.
The article has a link to the local Red Cross CPR courses, but the American Heart Association also sponsors CPR and First Aid courses. More information here: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/FindaCourse/Find-a-Course_UCM_303220_SubHomePage.jsp
Jonathan Blutarsky
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:14 p.m.
One word - HERO!
seldon
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 5:28 p.m.
Well done, Mr. Hodges! This is why it's worth learning CPR. The Red Cross has a combined CPR/AED class they offer on evenings and weekends. Everyone should take it.
NSider
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 5:04 p.m.
Huzzah Mr. Hodges! Thank you for being a role model for us all.
dsponini
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 4:44 p.m.
Good job! Everyone should know how to administer CPR, you never know when this skill will come in handy
Kyle Austin
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 5:31 p.m.
As a former lifeguard, I couldn't agree more
Elouise
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 4:38 p.m.
Good for him!
Hunterjim
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 4:11 p.m.
Good job!
TryingToBeObjective
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 4:07 p.m.
Bravo Hodges!
TryingToBeObjective
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 1:17 a.m.
Let me add another bravo to Hodges golfing group as well!!