Former Steeler UDFA Brett Greenwood Collapses After Workout

by Neal Coolong on Sep 10, 2011 7:07 AM EDT in Steelers Injury News

Former Steelers undrafted free agent S Brett Greenwood was hospitalized Friday in Iowa City, Iowa, after collapsing during a workout in Bettendorf, Iowa.

The Quad City Times reported Greenwood suffered an apparent heart attack, as described by a first-hand witness to the incident.

Greenwood, who was released by the Steelers in part of their final roster cuts, was at his high school alma mater, Pleasant Valley, in Bettendorf, Iowa Friday before a game between Pleasant Valley and Davenport West.

Greenwood was working out on the school's practice field when he suddenly collapsed. He was transferred immediately to Trinity Bettendorf Hospital, and later, University Hospital in Iowa City.

Team Trainer Jason Viel made the comment, "his heart stopped," and he administered one charge from a local defibrillator to restore his pulse.

This is probably a bit more editorializing than I'd care to have in a story of this nature, but the value of local schools owning Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is beyond measure. Every year, we read stories of well-conditioned athletes collapsing on the fields of competition, and the difference between their survival and death always seems to be linked to the presence of a defibrillator.

Greenwood is an elite-level athlete, just four days from his 24th birthday.

As someone involved with high school sports, we made it a priority to own one, and I'd strongly encourage any person or organization with an interest in high school or community sports to get involved if an AED is not present.

It may have saved Brett Greenwood's life.

Tweet Comment 9 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

holy crap.

How much does an AED cost? It should be mandatory in at least every High School. The cost of taking a kid to the ER and the possiblily of additional damage is probably more than one of these units.
Glad that Greenwood came out of it fine!

"Franco made that play because he never quit on the play. He kept running, he kept hustling. Good things happen to people who hustle."

by PCISteeler on Sep 10, 2011 9:23 AM EDT reply actions

Many states now mandate their purchase and training (with government subsidized monies) but right now it’s not a Federal law.

Iowa is a good example of the challenges that come with making it law. Even with Federal dollars, many schools (not Pleasant Valley) still can’t afford them. It may not be as big an issue today as it was five years ago, but AEDs used to run upwards of $5,000 and there are numerous schools in which their athletic budgets don’t exceed $5,000. Then there’s the training required and maintenance for the equipment.

In rural Minnesota this past basketball season, a kid named Zach Gabbard collapsed on the court. They had an AED, and there was a nurse who happened to be at the game. She administered it, and he survived. Incidentally, the high school (Perham) ended up winning their class’s state championship that year. Minnesota doesn’t have it mandated, but North Dakota does – every school has one and training thanks to a huge grant they received. They said they’ve used it 23 times in 10 years. That’s insanely high, in my opinion, to not require it.

by Neal Coolong on Sep 10, 2011 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions

It's not just AEDs. although every parent

should demand that their schools are supplied, but for medium to large schools there should be golf cart equivalents so that multiple sports at different venues can be covered. At the schools my kids attended, there might be four or different sports and/or practices going on at once, on a campus that was almost one square mile. An AED that can’t be deployed in time isn’t much use.

My heros have always been Steelers...

by wozzle on Sep 10, 2011 1:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Terrible news.

But thank God the kid survived.

by Billy52 on Sep 10, 2011 10:07 AM EDT reply actions

24 and a heart attack?

Jeezum crow! Hope that he doesn’t have much lasting damage.
Just goes to show that working out is dangerous, so don’t do it.

Bound to cover just a little more ground.

by Steeliver on Sep 10, 2011 10:56 AM EDT reply actions

Wow.

Thanks for sharing this. Thank God he’s ok and it let it serve as a reminder of how important it is to have and be familiar with the AED. Literally…it’s a life-saver.

HERE WE GO STEELERS!
"Our Father, who art in Pittsburgh, Football be thy game. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, at Heinz Field as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, a stellar D and forgive us our bogus fines, as we (sorta) forgive Goodell who trespasses against us. And lead us not into defeat, but deliver us a Victory. For thine is The Steelers, the power and glory of climbing the STAIRWAY TO 7."

by 1BlkGldFan on Sep 10, 2011 10:58 AM EDT reply actions