An 18-year-old college basketball player is recovering after suffering a life-threatening tear in his aorta, despite having no known history of heart problems.
Jackson Scarborough, a 6-foot-9 incoming freshman at Fresno City College, suddenly developed severe chest pain during team activities nearly two weeks ago. Coaches and athletic staff immediately recognized that something was seriously wrong and called for emergency help, a decision his family says ultimately saved his life.
Scarborough had just finished watching film with his teammates and had not yet started any physical activity when the pain began, according to Fresno City College athletic trainer Francisco Gamboa.
“They had just gotten out of the film, so they hadn’t done any physical exertion at all,” Gamboa told ABC.
Scarborough alerted head coach Rob Haynes, who quickly brought Gamboa over to examine him. After checking the teenager’s condition, the trainer noticed that the readings did not match what he was seeing.
“I saw the readings, and they weren’t matching up with what was being shown,” Gamboa said.
Scarborough then called his mother, Joanna Scarborough, from the trainer’s office.
“He called me from the trainer’s office and said, ‘Mom, I’m having a hard time breathing. The trainer wants to talk to you,’” she recalled. “From there, he said, ‘We’re calling EMS.’”
Paramedics rushed the Clovis, California, native to Community Regional Medical Center. Doctors initially believed Scarborough had suffered an aneurysm, but when surgeons began operating, they discovered something even more serious.
Scarborough had an aortic dissection, a potentially deadly tear in the body’s main artery.
He underwent a grueling nine-hour operation, which his mother said was successful.
“They thought it was an aneurysm, and when they got in there, it was an aortic dissection, which was a lot more serious,” Joanna Scarborough said.
“What we’ve heard is that only 30% of people to whom this happens actually make it to the hospital,” she added.
The diagnosis stunned the family because Scarborough had never experienced any known heart problems.
“He’s been playing since he was in first grade,” his mother said. “He’s been playing competitively since fourth grade.”
Scarborough recently graduated from Clovis High School, where he helped lead the Cougars to the Central CIF Division Two championship this year.
His family has credited Fresno City College’s athletic staff with recognizing the emergency and acting without hesitation.
“They’re the heroes here,” Joanna Scarborough said. “They recognized it and they made the call to get him here in time.”
For Gamboa, the terrifying incident reinforced the importance of being prepared for a medical crisis, even when the person involved appears young, healthy and athletic.
“It’s a bit overwhelming,” he said. “It’s what you train for, hoping you never have to use it. But the fact that I actually got to implement it and save someone’s life is very gratifying.”
A GoFundMe created for Scarborough’s family says he began experiencing severe chest pain during practice before doctors discovered the aortic dissection.
The fundraiser is approaching its $20,000 goal and will help the family cover Scarborough’s medical expenses as he continues his recovery.