An 18-year-old freshman suddenly suffered a life-threatening tear in his aorta on the basketball court, despite having no known history of heart problems.
Jackson Scarborough, a 6-foot-9 incoming freshman at Fresno City College, is recovering after collapsing during basketball activities nearly two weeks ago, prompting coaches and athletic staff to call for emergency medical help that his family says ultimately saved his life.
The towering teenager had just finished watching film with teammates and had not yet begun any physical activity when he started feeling intense chest pain, 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 immediately brought Gamboa over to evaluate him. After checking his condition, the trainer realized something was seriously wrong.
“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. From there, he said ‘We’re calling EMS,” she told ABC.
Paramedics rushed the Clovis native to Community Regional Medical Center, where doctors initially believed they were dealing with an aneurysm.
Once surgery began, however, they discovered the far more dangerous diagnosis: an aortic dissection, a life-threatening tear in the body’s main artery.
Scarborough underwent a grueling nine-hour operation that 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.
His mother said the diagnosis came as a complete shock because her son had never experienced heart problems.
“He’s been playing since he was in first grade. He’s been playing competitively since fourth grade,” she said.
Scarborough recently graduated from Clovis High School after helping lead the Cougars to the Central CIF Division Two championship this year.
His family credits Fresno City College’s athletic staff with recognizing the emergency and acting without hesitation.
“They’re the heroes here. They recognized it and they made the call to get him here in time,” Joanna Scarborough said.
For Gamboa, the frightening ordeal reinforced the importance of emergency preparedness.
“It’s a bit overwhelming. 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,” he said.
A GoFundMe created for the family says Scarborough began experiencing “severe chest pain” during practice before doctors discovered the aortic dissection.
The fundraiser has nearly reached its $20,000 goal to help cover medical expenses.
