Coaches jump in to save construction worker at Riverdale High School

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WSMV) - Two high school softball coaches are being called heroes for saving a man’s life in Murfreesboro.

A construction worker hired to work on Riverdale High School’s softball field collapsed on Thursday afternoon, according to a spokesperson for Rutherford County Schools (RCS).

Another worker saw what was happening and yelled out for help. Softball coaches Christy Bingham and Brad Deas heard him and ran over from the field.

Deas said the construction worker, named Javier, was lying flat on his back under a tree. He was unresponsive and not breathing, so Deas started CPR. Bingham went inside the school to grab an AED while players on the field called 911.

“I don’t think we even had time to think,” Deas said. “I think that is because we deal with athletes, we deal with schools. I have five kids. All of my kids are on my mind all the time when it comes to school shootings you hear about and emergencies.”

Bingham said just as she got back outside with the AED, the contractor came back to life from the CPR. He started throwing up blood, so they rolled him on his side and kept caring for him when paramedics arrived.

Bingham has been the head softball coach at Riverdale for 13 years and said they’ve always had emergency procedures that are practiced in case something like this happens. She said their preparation allowed them to do exactly what was needed to save a life.

“Our county does a great job of giving us the tools to put in our school,” Bingham said. “For that, we are grateful because stuff like this happens. To have the right tools, and be able to do your job, makes you a lot more comfortable.”

Both Bingham and Deas said they were lucky to be in the right place at the right time because they believe anyone in the school would’ve dropped everything to help in a situation like this.

The contractor is still in the hospital, but his crew members told WSMV that he is expected to make a full recovery thanks to the fast action of the coaches.