Referee saved during cardiac arrest at Long Island high school basketball game

It was a high-stakes playoff basketball game between Floral Park Memorial and West Hempstead High Schools.

Joe Gaskin was one of three referees officiating the game. Nearly towards the end of the first quarter, the 64-year-old Gaskin suddenly felt out of breath.

“One of the coaches asked me, 'Hey ref, are you feeling OK?' I said I’m having a tough time catching my breath,” recalled Gaskin who has been a referee for 37 years. “I took the ball and then I felt I went down and then I was out.”

Gaskin went into cardiac arrest and collapsed. The game was stopped and many people flew into action, including Wantagh High School Athletic Director Jennifer Keane, who is also an assistant coordinator for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and was helping to score the game.

“I jumped up and ran over and could hear him gasping for breaths and starting to turn color,” said Keane who has known Gaskin for twenty years. She was concerned about her friend but her instincts kicked in. As a former athletic trainer, Keane immediately called for an AED.

Keane cleared the court trying to shield the players from a life-or-death emergency. Many people jumped to help, including Tiffany Vargas of Floral Park. She had brought her children to watch the game to support their school team — and she also happens to be a cardiac failure nurse at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Queens.

“I told my daughter, I have to help. So I ran down to the court,” Vargas told NBC New York, “When I heard them say no pulse, that’s when I immediately started to do chest compressions and called for the AED.”

There were three other parents at the game that came to help Gaskin: a doctor and two nurses. All of them came together to help Gaskin, and one administered the AED. All the while Keane was talking to him, trying to comfort him.

“I just kept saying 'Joe, we got you Joe, stay with us Joe.' I just kept calling his name talking to him. He came to after one use of the AED," said Keane.

When Gaskin opened his eyes, he was confused, but quickly felt better when he saw a familiar face.

“I looked up and there was my angel Jen,” Gaskin recalled. “And I remember asking her, 'Do I have pants on?'  She said, I got you, you’re going to be all right.”

Gaskin was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for more than a week. He was shocked to learn the suspected source of his cardiac arrest was a possible parasite. Doctors are still doing tests to pinpoint a cause.

Keane, Vargas and the other people who rushed to help Gaskin were recently honored at a recent dinner. Gaskin was grateful to meet the people who saved him.

“Those five individuals had no practice but they jumped onto the court not knowing each others names,” he praised. “They executed a perfect game plan and they saved my life and we are joined at the hip for the rest of our lives.”

Vargas, who routinely saves the lives of patients at the hospital, said this is the first time she’s ever resuscitated someone outside of work and it has been very meaningful.

“I was so honored to be able to save his life,” said Vargas. “This was my first time being able to rescue someone in the field and I was so happy that I was able to utilize the training that I’ve been doing for the past 17 years.”

Gaskin is on the mend and looks forward to being able to referee games next years. He also recalled what he told Jen moments after he was saved.

“I told her, I’m glad I’m looking at your face and not God because I want to stay here longer, my grandkids are too young," said Gaskin.