Gates, N.Y. - An off-duty Rochester Firefighter is being credited with helping immensely in a life-threatening situation involving a 12 year-old boy who was seriously injured when a lacrosse ball struck him in the chest last week.
The boy was playing a game at Total Sports Experience in Gates around 6 p.m. Thursday. Gates Volunteer Ambulance Chief Randy Campbell confirms that his crews were called to the Elmgrove Road sports complex to help a boy with “significant injuries.”
The boy was reportedly struck in the chest with a lacrosse ball, and an off-duty Rochester Fire Department Lieutenant administered CPR at the scene until Gates Ambulance crews arrived about four minutes later. Campbell said his medics used a defibrillator to revive the boy before taking him to the hospital where he “has a long road ahead of him.”
"We've been asked on a couple of different occasions, do we consider this person a hero? I think everybody has their own definition of the word hero," Campbell said of the off-duty firefighter who was quick to help the boy. “Do I believe that this person's initial actions made a difference? I absolutely do."
Golisano Children’s Hospital at URMC lists the boy as being in guarded condition.
As news spread through social media and various lacrosse websites and forums, it became obvious that the much larger “lacrosse family” is keeping Tyler Kopp in their thoughts and prayers. On the Brighton Lacrosse Club’s website under a posting labeled “Stay Strong” there is a photo of Kopp’s teammates holding as sign that reads “Get Well Tyler #9.”
Members of that organization declined comment or did not return phone calls. One said “this is a private matter” for the Kopp family. His family has asked for privacy at this time as stated in a Brighton School District statement issued Monday.
"Lacrosse is a tight community. He's from Brighton which is right next door to Pittsford, and these kids play on these All-Star teams together and certainly I'm sure there are a lot of Pittsford boys that have played with him,” Pittsford Lacrosse Coach Andrew Whipple said. “Everybody's going to be there to support him and the family, and we hope that he can pull through this."
Members of Gates Volunteer Ambulance joined in that sentiment.
"As a parent of two children who use that facility three to four times a week I'm very hopeful that there's going to be a positive outcome for this family,” Campbell added. “It's heart-wrenching for everybody."
