A middle school football player who collapsed and flatlined on the field is alive thanks to new training now mandatory in Texas public schools.

Leaders at Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD said seventh-grade football teams were facing off at Trinity High School Stadium on Monday when a player from Haltom Middle School suffered cardiac arrest.

Assistant Athletic Trainer Saad Rajabali was in his office when he got a call from a trainer on site to respond.

“She called me for the AED. My office is at the end of this building, so I grabbed one from there and came running out. By the time I got out, it was around the 30-35 yard line on this side,” said Rajabali. “They were basically rolling him over, coaches and her. So at that point, I just administered the AED.”

Rajabali said the machine advised an

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