Pitt Athletic Training alumna Autumn Pisano
May 4, 2023. It was a typical day in north central Florida. Sunny and clear with a temperature in the mid-80s. It felt hotter on the field as excitement mounted for the first day of spring football practice at a local Gainesville high school.
But for one student—and his athletic trainer—it was a day that would be far from typical.
The 14-year-old first-year lineman was suited up but wasn’t feeling quite right. He told his athletic trainer, Autumn Pisano (AT ’22), that his knee hurt. Pisano and the coach agreed he could sit out the practice.
“He took off his pads, and as he started to watch his teammates perform their drills, he went down,” recalls Pisano, who was on a clinical rotation at the high school while simultaneously pursuing her Doctor of Athletic Training at the University of Florida.
“At first, I thought he was having a seizure, so I immediately turned him on his side while I checked his medical file on my phone,” she continues. “There was nothing in his chart to indicate the likelihood of a seizure—or a cardiac event.”
“His breathing was shallow. I called 911 while I asked someone on the field to bring me an AED,” Pisano continues. “When I rolled him onto his back so I could begin chest compressions, I was surprised to see his face was purple.”
Pisano stayed on the phone with the 911 dispatcher for eight minutes, continuing chest compressions and eventually shocking the young man with the AED before the ambulance arrived.
The paramedics shocked the boy two more times before taking him to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with acute myocarditis. He was put in a medically induced coma to cool his body down and help him avoid permanent brain damage. He remained in the hospital for 13 days before being released.
Pisano visited him two days after the incident on the field. Although he was still in serious condition, he was able to joke with her and let her know that he would be okay.
“It was a very emotional experience,” admits Pisano. “His father was on the field at practice and was noticeably shaken by what was happening to his son. In addition, I had to call the boy’s mother to explain the situation to her. I couldn’t begin to imagine being a parent and getting a call like that.”
“All of those things are still imprinted on my brain,” she adds.
Pisano’s quick reactions saved the boy’s life.
She says her training at Pitt made a difference.
“Pitt offers one of the only athletic training programs in the country that requires students to earn their EMT certification prior to admission to the Athletic Training program,” notes Assistant Professor and Director Amy Aggelou. “We try to prepare our students for the worst-case scenarios and their EMT certification provides a solid foundation from day one in our program. Clearly this training led Autumn to do all the right things at the right time.”
“We’re all very proud of her,” adds Aggelou. “She was on her own in a very serious situation and the outcome was good.”
According to Aggelou, it’s extremely important for school districts to bring athletic trainers into all their middle and high schools. “There are so many young people out there who participate in sports but have undiagnosed conditions,” she says. “An athletic trainer on-site could help recognize and resolve some of these issues.”
Pisano received her doctoral degree in May 2024 and is looking forward to putting her advanced knowledge to work on the field, working at the collegiate or professional level.
She’s particularly focused on sports performance, including using data to improve strength and conditioning in athletes.
Note: To ensure privacy, the names of the student athlete and his school have been omitted.
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This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2024 issue of FACETS alumni magazine.