St. Louis Cardinals Beat Writer Saves Man’s Life Before Game vs. Chicago Cubs

St. Louis Cardinals beat writer Derrick Goold was able to save a man’s life while he was in the Chicago Cubs dugout on Sunday according to ESPN. The Cubs were about to announce that Joe Maddon would not return as the team’s manager next year. However, there was a delay when videographer Mike Flanary collapsed and he did not have a pulse. That led to Goold performing CPR on Flanary before the Cubs training staff and medical personnel taking over. Flanary was sent to the hospital and he reportedly suffered a heart attack and stroke.

“So many people are afraid of doing CPR. But, because of (Goold’s) actions, he was the first link in that chain of survival,” David Tan, the stadium doctor on duty at the park, told the St. Louis Dispatch

“It’s fabulous. It was the early CPR by Derrick Goold that probably saved his life. Derrick wasn’t afraid. He didn’t hesitate. And he did it. In the medical field, when you save somebody like this, they call it a clinical save. This is a clinical save that was started by Derrick Goold. Period.”

Goold then released a statement on Monday:

“Thank you everyone for the kind words you’ve sent my way. The Cubs trainers, first-responders, and medical personnel at Busch Stadium deserve special recognition for their swift, expert, and life-saving actions Sunday. It is remarkable to watch many work together to do all they can for one person in need. I only did what many people would in the same situation, what many others have been able to do because of CPR training, and what many more will do today to help when called upon.

What matters most is Mr. Flanary’s health and recovery. All of my thoughts are with him, his family, his colleagues and seeing him again at the ballpark.”

The Cardinals ended the season with as the NL Central champions and they will face the Atlanta Braves in the divisional round of the playoffs starting on Thursday. As for the Cubs, they missed out on the playoffs and they are now looking for a new manager. In his five seasons as the Cubs’ skipper, Maddon led the team to the playoffs four times they won a World Series in 2016. It was the first championship for the Cubs since 1908.