In a heart-stopping moment on the baseball field, a Little League umpire collapsed during a game in Ladera Heights, triggering a life-or-death situation that unfolded before the eyes of players and spectators alike. Jeff, the umpire, experienced a cardiac arrest that left him without a pulse, sending shockwaves through the community. But hope emerged when a doctor in the stands sprang into action, transforming a potential tragedy into a miraculous survival story.

As chaos erupted, a voice called out for medical assistance. Dr. Pool, a physician from Cedars-Sinai, raced onto the field, adrenaline surging as she prepared to perform CPR on Jeff. “The adrenaline is going, your heart is racing, and you’re second-guessing yourself,” she recalled, but she knew she had to act. For seven to ten agonizing minutes, she administered life-saving compressions, her determination unwavering as she fought to bring him back.

Witnesses captured the harrowing scene, showing Dr. Pool giving clear directives to onlookers, her leadership vital in the frantic moments that followed. Paramedics arrived shortly after, employing a defibrillator to shock Jeff’s heart back into rhythm. “I died and came back to life,” Jeff later recounted, crediting Dr. Pool and other medical professionals for his miraculous recovery.

Now, both Jeff and Dr. Pool are advocates for CPR training and the importance of having defibrillators readily available in community spaces. “If things go wrong, you need to support those who are injured,” Jeff emphasized, expressing his gratitude for the second chance at life. As he prepares to return to the diamond, he’s eager to pass on his love for the game to future generations, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of quick-thinking heroes in critical moments.