Freshman soccer player saved by two Foxborough moms after on-field collision

By Web staff

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    FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A freshman soccer player at Foxborough High School is recovering after a life-threatening collision on the field, thanks to the quick actions of two medically trained mothers who were in the stands.

During a boys varsity soccer game on Tuesday, Gavin Smith, 14, collapsed after colliding with another player while attempting a header.

His best friend, Matthew DeSantis, was nearby when Smith fell to the ground.

“I was going up for a header, a guy on the other team went up for a header, we just collided,” Smith said.

Watching from the stands were Smith’s mother, Donna, and DeSantis’s mother, Andrea, a nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital.

When Gavin collapsed, Matthew immediately realized something was wrong.

“I just saw him seizing out, and I screamed at the coach, ‘He’s having a seizure, get over here now,’” Matthew said.

Rushing to the field, they found Gavin already turning blue, with no pulse.

Andrea DeSantis, along with another parent, Dr. Olivia Kim, a pediatrician from Foxborough, quickly sprang into action.

Together with the athletic trainer, they performed CPR on Gavin, ultimately resuscitating him.

“He was completely blue when we got out there,” Donna Smith said. “Some Foxborough moms who are medically trained jumped right into action with the athletic trainer.”

Andrea DeSantis, whose son has grown up alongside Gavin, described the situation as deeply emotional.

“It was just very challenging because I’ve known Gavin since he was little, and I think of him as my own,” she said.

Thanks to their life-saving efforts, Gavin was alert and breathing when paramedics arrived. He is now in concussion protocol but is expected to make a full recovery.

“Two moms in my town saved my child right in front of me,” Donna said. “When I was out there alone, they were around me like a blanket, and it continued through the night with texts, phone calls, and prayers.”

Andrea emphasized the importance of CPR training, calling it a necessity for all communities, especially at youth sporting events.

“CPR training is a must,” she said. “Seconds matter, and having professionals on standby can save lives.”

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