Mashburn’s Miracle: Amarillo teen defies odds, recovers after 25 minutes without pulse

Good News Notes:

A parent’s worst nightmare became reality when their 18-year-old son unexpectedly collapsed at home. 

Jakin Mashburn was not breathing.

“I was in my room listening to an audio book and heard a loud bang and found Jakin in his bathroom, collapsed on the floor,” said Carrie Mashburn, Jakin’s mom.

Carrie called 911 and began performing CPR.

“We were actually about to get off of work,” said Joseph King, a paramedic with AMS. “We happened to exit I-40 and Bell and we received the 911 call because we were the closer unit.”

King and Hunter McDonnor, an EMT, arrived at the Mashburn home. 

The 18-year-old was still without a pulse and would not have one for 25 minutes. 

They continued CPR, shocking Jakin five times while en route to BSA – something King says is usually a bad sign.

Jakin’s dad, Brian Mashburn, was in Houston.

“I’m just in shock,” said Brian Mashburn. “Feeling like I’m in the wrong place needing to get home as quick as I can and just praying.”

“I came on in my normal Monday of the week, and it was just my normal three-day shift,” said Amanda Loftis, a nurse at BSA. “He was hooked up to all the tubes, all the meds and all the things.”

Loftis was unaware of how important she would be in Jakin’s story.

A high schooler who, the day before, was doing all the typical teenage boy things now relied on medication and machines to survive. 

Doctors continued to run tests as time ticked by.

“It was hard being in a situation where your boy is in need of life saving devices,” Brian Mashburn said.

Two days after Jakin collapsed, his condition took a turn almost no one saw coming.

“[Brian] came walking out from [Jakin’s] IC room and that’s when he told us that they had turned off the vent,” Carrie Mashburn said.

Jakin was then able to speak to his family, but he had short-term memory loss.

“You worry like his physical body, but like is his mind good,” Carrie Mashburn said.

Miraculously, Jakin’s recovery kept going in the right direction….”

View the whole story here: https://abc7amarillo.com/amp/news/local/amarillo-18-year-old-defies-odds-recovers-after-25-minutes-without-pulse

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