Wrestler's life saved

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD - A high school wrestler is lucky to be alive after suffering an apparent heart attack at a meet last week.

Olajuwon Somerville-Mitchell, 17, a Sabis International Charter School junior, collapsed in the main hallway Jan. 21 outside the Sabis gymnasium shortly after completing a three-round varsity match against a student from Franklin Tech.

When he was reportedly found to be without a pulse, two coaches, Gary Poehler, an off-duty Granby police officer and Miguel DelValle, an off-duty Springfield fire captain, resuscitated Somerville-Mitchell by immediately performing CPR and using an AED defibrillator.

According to Granby Police Chief Louis M. Barry, Poehler's quick response can be attributed to his experience as a police officer.

"All of the officers here are trained to know what to do in that kind of situation," said Barry. "It is good to see that all the training he did was used to help someone out who needed it."

Poehler was there to watch his son, who is on the Sabis wrestling squad.

Although he was saved by off-duty city officials, Sabis International's athletic director, Tom Campagna, said the school is well-prepared for emergencies of this kind.

"We have a trainer at all of our home athletic events and in addition to that, we have close to 140 staff members here who have been trained in CPR and using the defibrillator," Campagna said.

Somerville-Mitchell was immediately taken to Baystate Medical Center, where a hospital spokesman said he was in good condition Tuesday night.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.