Off-Duty Doctor Saves Umpire’s Life After Collapse at Little League Game
LOS ANGELES – A Little League game turned into a life-or-death emergency when umpire Jeff Hiserodt collapsed from a heart attack near home plate. Thanks to the quick actions of an off-duty doctor in the crowd, Hiserodt lived to tell the story.
The dramatic incident unfolded at a baseball field in the Ladera Heights neighborhood, where Hiserodt was officiating a youth game. Surveillance and parent video captured the exact moment he went down — unresponsive and without a pulse — prompting a frantic plea for help from nearby coaches and parents.
CPR and Courage in the Stands
Dr. Jen Poole, a palliative care physician from Cedars-Sinai, was among the spectators. Though emergency medicine isn’t her specialty, she rushed to Hiserodt’s side without hesitation. In an interview with KCAL/KCBS via CNN, Poole said:
“The adrenaline’s going. Your heart’s going. You’re second guessing if you’re doing the right thing, but you just know you have to help.”
She performed CPR for nearly 10 minutes, successfully restarting his heart multiple times.
“I Came Back to Life Because of Her”
Now recovering, Hiserodt has returned to the field — the very spot where his heart stopped — with a new perspective.
“I feel like I got hit with a baseball bat, and I lost the fight,” he told reporters. “I don’t think everybody gets to revisit the spot that they die.”
In watching footage of the moment, he said he was in awe of Poole’s bravery:
“To acknowledge what’s happening and to be the person that runs to the fire, to the problem, that’s rare in today’s day and age.”
A Call to Prepare, Not Panic
Hiserodt credits his survival not only to Dr. Poole, but also to several colleagues and first responders who stepped in. He now wants the story to be a reminder of the importance of knowing CPR and making sure automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are available in all public spaces.
Poole echoed the sentiment:
“So that if things go wrong, we are able to support the people who are injured or hurt,” she said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone suffers a heart attack every 40 seconds in the U.S.
Have you ever witnessed a medical emergency at a local event or game? Do you know where the nearest AED is at your child’s school or sports field? Tell us in the comments at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com — your story could help save a life.
