On December 12, 2022, many of the staff at Trafford Middle School (Penn-Trafford School District) became lifesaving heroes. On that morning, teacher Alexis Simon - then 8-½ months pregnant - collapsed to the floor in sudden cardiac arrest. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous as her co-workers sprung into action to save Alexis’ life and the life of her unborn child (who was born three days later, on December 15).
At its meeting on February 6, 2023, the Penn-Trafford School Board and administrators welcomed Alexis, her husband Dan, and infant son Dominic along with her many rescuers:
- Gary Bacco (teacher)
- Mike Cleland (teacher)
- Leah Fertal (substitute teacher)
- Officer Jonathan Kitterman (school resource officer)
- Megan McGraw (school counselor)
- Rhaeann Shepler (school nurse)
- Roger Sullivan (principal)
- Curtis Peck (EMT)
- Jessica Gregory (paramedic)
- Chief Edgar Grant (Penn Township Ambulance)
“I’m very proud of our staff and the way they responded,” commented principal Roger Sullivan. “When you work with these folks you become pretty close, and we have a really tight family at Trafford Middle School. My team was prepared not for ‘what if’ but ‘when’, and it really showed.”
Chief Grant of Penn Township Ambulance presented a Life Saving Award to nurse Rhaeann Shepler, who administered three AED shocks and CPR.
Cheryl Rickens, chair of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, presented Certificates of Heroism along with Hero pins to Simon and all of her rescuers. She explained that the chain of survival for an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has seven links, all of which came together during this emergency: (1) Awareness and action, (2) Calling 911, (3) Early CPR, (4) Early defibrillation/AED, (5) Professional responders, (6) Transport to hospital, and (7) Rehab and recovery.
“Any type of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest call is a medical emergency and things are of a heightened awareness,” said Rickens. “You can only imagine how that is amplified when it’s a pregnant woman.”
“I am so proud of my staff at Trafford Middle School,” said Superintendent Dr. Matthew Harris. “All of the hours, preparation, drills of lifesaving techniques, the many CPR classes by my school nurses, the AEDs… it all came together on December 12. This is why we do it. This is one of the best moments of my career.”
(Front) Dan Simon, Alexis Simon (holding Dominic), Rhaeann Shepler, (Back) Mike Cleland, Megan McGraw, Curtis Peck, Jessica Gregory, Roger Sullivan, Gary Bacco, Leah Fertal, Chief Grant
Alexis and Dan Simon with their infant son, Dominic