“His coaches noticed that he just wasn’t himself,” Harding said. “Luke’s an active kid and a hard worker. He really gets after it and doesn’t take many breaks, so they could just tell he wasn’t being himself that day. His coaches made him stop and take a break, which is when they really noticed something was off.”
Harding said the coaches wasted no time and called 911.
“It’s very lucky they did because everything that happened that day was very timely and needed to happen quickly,” he said.
Luke’s uncle, Mike Mangen, said his nephew had suffered a heart attack in the gym that day.
“He was taken to Dayton Children’s and he went into cardiac arrest there. They revived him, unbelievably,” Mangen said, adding that the attending doctor was expecting the worst. “One of the doctors that did CPR on him said later, kiddingly but not kiddingly, that he was glad to see Luke because he didn’t think that was a strong possibility at that point in time.”
Prior to this incident, Mike Mangen said Luke was a healthy, even exceptional, young man and athlete.
“I wouldn’t even say average; he was in really good shape and very athletic,” Mangen said.
Soon after arriving at Dayton Children’s, Mangen said Luke was transferred to Cincinnati Children’s where he again went into cardiac arrest and was revived.
Mangen said the three cardiac events were a result of a heart defect.
“Basically, he was wired wrong, and it’s something we were told would have never been found at a regular check-up,” he said.
Luke soon underwent a surgery to “rewire” his heart, Mangen said.
“From where he was two weeks ago to today is really hard to wrap your head around,” Mangen said, adding that Luke still has a long road ahead of him and will remain in the hospital for the time being.
“They’re taking it day by day,” he said.
While it’s unknown at this point if or when Luke may be able to return to playing sports, Mangen said the family is simply counting their blessings.
“They’re keeping their fingers crossed, but they don’t want to put the cart before the horse,” he said, highlighting the family’s appreciation for the doctors and staff at Cincinnati Children’s. “The hospital has been unbelievable, from the professional demeanor and how they’ve handled themselves, and with the family being fortunate enough to stay at the Ronald McDonald House next door. That has been a true blessing for the family.”
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