Jiu-jitsu students save man’s life when he collapses during training

TEMPE, Ariz. (3TV/CBS 5/Gray News) — Thursday night’s class at Soul Fighters gym in Tempe, Arizona, was just an ordinary class, or so the students thought.

The jiu-jitsu session was just wrapping up, and members were working on their sparring technique when one of them dropped to his knees. That isn’t out of the ordinary, as many times, athletes simply pass out.

“It was pretty quick and evident that was not the case,” said Joseph Mueller, another member.

It turned out the man was going into cardiac arrest. Fortunately for him, Mueller is a mobile nurse anesthesiologist who always carries an automated external defibrillator with him.

While he ran out to get it, he said the others took over helping the man.

“Thankfully, there were a few teammates that were able to jump in and continue compressions until I could get my AED,” said Mueller.

Soul Fighters owner Augusto Mendes said he kept composed.

“Martial arts helps with that. I understood I needed to take action, and I could not freak out,” Mendes said.

Mendes said the patient is a longtime member and a black belt. He said seeing him down was terrifying. But after Mueller administered the AED shock, he was coherent by the time EMS arrived.

Mueller said he keeps the AED easily accessible in the hatch of his car, but it’s a piece of equipment Mendes said he hadn’t thought much about until now.

“Nobody has them, (but) I’ll definitely have one now. It should be coming,” he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people don’t survive when cardiac arrest happens outside of a hospital.

Mendes said he’s talked to several other gym owners since last Thursday and encouraged them to get an AED for their facilities, too.

Mueller and Mendes said they have been in contact with the man, who is home recovering.