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A Boy Scouts of America troop leader from McLean, Virginia, says he owes his life to his troop after they saved him during a bike ride on March 30.
Laurent Lee, 59, joined a group of Scouts, other leaders and parents for a bike ride in Lorton as part of the Cycling Merit Badge.
The first part of the ride felt like any other fun outing for Boy Scout Troop 1916. The group rode the trails near Laurel Hill Park, even stopping to see the old Lorton Reformatory and pose for photos from the guard tower.
鈥淚t was a very fun ride,鈥� said Verena Biesold, who was on the ride with her 13-year-old son, Raphael Loosen.
But when they reached the 3-mile mark of the 5-mile ride near Furnace Road, elation turned to terror.
Lee, who was riding with his son, stopped to check something on his son鈥檚 bike chain. The last thing he remembers is leaning over to look at it.
鈥淭hen, that鈥檚 when I fell over. After that, just everything (went) dark,鈥� Lee said.
He had gone into cardiac arrest.
Scouts jump into action
Douglas Johnson, the troop鈥檚 chartered organization representative who organized the ride, said at first he thought Lee had simply tripped on his bike pedals. But when he got closer, he realized Lee was unconscious.
鈥淥ne of our parents on the ride took a pulse and wasn鈥檛 able to detect any pulse whatsoever,鈥� Johnson said.
As his mother called 911, Raphael stepped in, using CPR training he鈥檇 learned in school just days earlier.
鈥淚 said, 鈥業 got this,鈥� because I learned it like a week before that,鈥� Raphael recalled.
Scout leaders then rotated in. Among them was Nori Yoshimizu, who, like Raphael, had also gotten CPR certified just days before.
鈥淚 did CPR for a while, and I got too tired. Then Doug went for a while, and I came back and did some more,鈥� Yoshimizu said.
As this was happening, Nori鈥檚 son Avi pulled Laurent鈥檚 son, Davin, aside to comfort him.
鈥淚 just brought him over to the side and said, 鈥業t鈥檒l be OK,鈥欌�� Avi said. “Your dad’s going to be fine.”
Davin said he remembers being in shock as he watched his father on the ground and his troop working to save him.
鈥淚 felt sort of numb, like really, really numb,鈥� Davin said. “I had a lot of faith that dad was going to be OK.”
Biesold kept her phone on speaker so dispatchers could guide them through CPR.
鈥淚 thought he was dead. He looked to me like he was gone,鈥� she said.
Dispatchers gave instructions as the troop worked to revive Lee.
After nine minutes, the ambulance arrived. EMTs began their work, and before they left, they gave the troop a glimmer of hope.
鈥淭hey came over and said to us just before they left, 鈥楬e has a pulse and he鈥檚 breathing normally,鈥欌�� Johnson said.
‘It鈥檚 so surreal’
After several days in the hospital, including time spent in the ICU, Laurent miraculously made a full recovery. He credits several factors: the troop鈥檚 quick action, the fact that he collapsed near a road and not deep in the woods, and that he was wearing a helmet when he fell. He also praised the first responders and medical staff at Inova Hospital for bringing him back 鈥� what his son Davin now calls 鈥淒ad 2.0.鈥�
鈥淭alk about all the stars lining up for me to survive this! It鈥檚 just every single thing,鈥� Laurent said.
Six months later, the troop returned to Laurel Hill Park.
Davin said he鈥檚 thankful for the group of Scout leaders and parents, especially his fellow Scouts, Raphael and Avi.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just really thankful to the Scouts for saving dad,鈥� Davin said.
Standing near the spot where he collapsed, Laurent thanked the group he calls his guardian angels who lived up to the Scout motto: Be prepared.
鈥淲ithout them, of course, I wouldn’t be here,鈥� he said.
He said there鈥檚 now an even deeper bond between his family and this group.
鈥淚 can never repay the team here who saved me. 鈥� I hope I get an opportunity to help others like this,鈥� Laurent said.
After his heart attack, doctors told Laurent he had a 90% blockage in one of his arteries 鈥� something he said could have been caught earlier if he鈥檇 paid closer attention to his health.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the key messages that I have for everyone: Get checked, stay on top (of your health) and never take anything for granted,鈥� he said.
He also plans to get CPR certified himself so he can be ready to help someone else.
鈥淪o that we can all jump in there (during) those critical early minutes,鈥� Laurent said.
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