Quick thinking, handy device save life at pickleball courtSubscriber Exclusive

Harlan Nelson had been experiencing heart problems before going to Wolfe Courts at Hathaway Park on July 15. But after being cleared by his doctor, he decided to play pickleball anyway. The 80-year-old Vancouver resident sat down after his first game, out of breath and feeling some discomfort — but no pain. Suddenly, he collapsed. “That’s all I remember until I was looking up at two faces, which belonged to paramedics,” Nelson said. The swift and decisive actions of a handful of fellow Camas-Washougal Pickleball Club players — Lisa Ballard, Mathew Condon, Diana Hernandez, Brenda Tesch and Chris O’Hara — ensured Nelson’s cardiac arrest didn’t end in tragedy. Their lifesaving actions were honored by the Washougal City Council, which presented them with a Mayor’s Award “in recognition of extraordinary action and service” during its July 27 meeting. “Their decisive actions demonstrate the profound impact individuals can have when preparation, compassion and courage come together in a moment of need,” Washougal Mayor David Stuebe said during the meeting. “Their response not only helped save a life but also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of CPR training and a community willing to act when every second matters.” As the scene unfolded in a matter of seconds, each person instinctively assumed a role. Ballard took charge of the response efforts. Condon called 911, provided dispatchers with updates and reassured concerned players. Hernandez, Tesch and O’Hara — all nurses — performed CPR and used an automated external defibrillator, stored in a nearby equipment shed, to keep Nelson alive until emergency crews arrived and took him to a local hospital. An afternoon at Hathaway Park “ended in a miracle rather than a tragedy” due to their instinctive actions, Ballard said of the group. “It was a true team effort to resuscitate our wonderful pickleball family member,” O’Hara said. “Everyone played a part for a great outcome. It was like clockwork.” The pickleball club purchased the automated external defibrillator in 2017 at the behest of club founder Mike Wolfe, a former firefighter. It had not been used before Nelson’s incident, club President Lynda Boesel said. “The AED, along with the immediate CPR (Nelson) received, absolutely saved his life,” said Shaun Ford, the EMS division chief for the Camas-Washougal Fire Department. “It was an amazing decision by the pickleball club to recognize they were a higher-risk group and invest in an AED, and it paid off when it mattered most.” Nelson said his recovery has been much better than he expected given the seriousness of his cardiac arrest. He was discharged home soon after receiving a couple of stents, and despite living alone, he’s able to get around and take care of himself. He’s already been back to visit the pickleball courts and his gym, reconnecting with the community that helped save him. Nelson describes himself as “on (his) feet and alive and happy,” deeply appreciative of the care he received at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver and grateful simply to wake up, see the sunshine and greet each new day. “I don’t know that I could ever repay (the people who helped me at the park),” Nelson said. “I know them casually from pickleball, but I didn’t really know them or socialize with them. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude, and shocked and in awe about how people can love each other and will do extraordinary things for each other without knowing much about the (other) person.” ‘A community that really takes this to heart’ Ford said the Hathaway Park rescue was not only remarkable but highly unusual. “It’s a very low-percentage event that occurs the way it did in a park like that,” Ford said. “(Nelson) is a very fortunate man.” National data from the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival underscores that rarity. According to the registry, only about 17 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in public settings, and an automated external defibrillator is applied before EMS arrival in just 10 percent to 13 percent of those cases. Ford said early CPR remains one of the most important factors in improving survival, yet only about half of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital receive CPR before emergency crews arrive. “Every minute after a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival drops, so the earlier the better,” Ford said. “If an AED is applied within the first few minutes — roughly the first five minutes — survival can jump to around 70 percent.” Ford encouraged people not to hesitate if they witness a cardiac arrest. Calling 911 should be the first step, Ford said, because dispatchers can coach callers through hands-only CPR until emergency responders arrive. Even if someone is unsure whether a person is in cardiac arrest, he said, it is better to begin CPR than to delay treatment. “CPR early and often is very important,” he said. “And if an AED happens to be around, it’s even better. That’s the best chance to survive.” Ford noted that sudden cardiac arrest can sometimes resemble a seizure or include abnormal, gasping breaths known as agonal respirations, making it difficult for bystanders to recognize the emergency. He also said studies have shown women are less likely than men to receive bystander CPR in part because of concerns about touching the chest, although CPR training has evolved to better address those issues. Cost and theft remain significant barriers to placing more automated external defibrillators in public locations, Ford said. Ford encouraged residents to download the PulsePoint app, which can help users locate the nearest registered device during an emergency. “I don’t think anywhere in the United States has enough (automated external defibrillators),” Ford said. “In a perfect world, they’d be almost as prevalent as fire hydrants.” According to the Clark County Office of the Medical Program Director’s 2025 annual report, Clark County EMS consistently performs above the national average in restoring patients’ pulses and getting cardiac arrest patients discharged alive from hospitals, and continues to exceed both state and national benchmarks on cardiac arrest care. “Clark County, as an EMS system, has one of the highest cardiac arrest survival rates in the country,” Ford said. “You never want anyone to have a cardiac arrest, but we work hard, and we have a community that really takes this to heart.” Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; doug.flanagan@columbian.com

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