An Oklahoma high school basketball player was recently reunited with an opponent he helped save after the opposing player collapsed on the court earlier this month.
Randall "Randy" Vitales, 16, a student athlete from Dover High School in Dover, Oklahoma, experienced a medical emergency and went into cardiac arrest during a Jan. 9 game against Magnus Miller, 18, and his team from Life Christian Academy.
Miller quickly jumped into action, performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator, or AED, on Randy, whom he hadn't previously met, before the latter was transported to Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health in Oklahoma City.
Randy and his family, as well as Dover Public Schools, declined to comment to "Good Morning America", but OU Health and Randy's family shared a video of the two meeting in person on Jan. 14.
Speaking with "GMA" about the reunion, Miller said, "Seeing Randy was great. Just seeing him healthy was the best thing I could ask for."
"He said, 'You know, I love you. I'm so glad you were there for me,'" Miller recalled. "And I told him, 'I love you too. This created a brotherhood and I wasn't going to let you down on that court that day.'"
Miller, a guard for Life Christian Academy, was playing in a game against Dover High School, when he noticed one of their players, Randy, had fallen down and lost consciousness after making a play.
"It was a normal game until about two minutes in," Miller recalled to "GMA." "I turned around and Randy was across the court from me at the free throw line, unconscious."
Miller, a lifeguard who is trained in CPR and first aid, said he didn't hesitate to jump into action when he realized the fellow student might need his help.
"I really wasn't nervous at all. That training that you have as a lifeguard for many years just kicks in. It's kind of just an instant reaction," he said of putting his training to use for the first time.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cardiac arrest, where the heart stops beating unexpectedly, can come on suddenly. It is not the same as a heart attack, the agency states.
"If you believe someone is having a cardiac arrest, call 9-1-1 right away, look for an automated external defibrillator (AED), and give CPR until medical professionals arrive," the CDC states.
Guthrie Fire Chief Dane Lausen was one of the first responders who rushed to the scene at the time and told "GMA" that Miller's "bravery" and actions led to a good outcome for Randy.
"Those people there that day, that coach and that player that rendered aid to him and did CPR, got that AED attached to him and shocked him. No doubt in my mind saved his life that day," Lausen said. "At that age, to jump in and render aid to that young man and help save his life, just... my hat goes off to that kid."
Randy has since been discharged from the hospital and is recovering at home, according to OU Health. He was also in attendance at a fundraising game on Jan. 21, where Miller was honored alongside coaches, good Samaritans and first responders for their lifesaving actions.
Miller said he and Randy plan on staying in touch, and he will continue his lifeguard job at an Oklahoma City water park.
Lausen also hopes that the student athletes' story will raise more awareness about the importance of learning CPR and how to use an AED.
"Whenever someone goes into full arrest, the chances of survival are already slim, but whenever you render that aid immediately, it dramatically improves the outcome," the fire chief said.
