'Without Them I Wouldn't Be Here': Lakeland Staff Members Save a Life

Substitute teacher Janice Mills was planning on going for a run or cleaning her car the day she was asked to work at Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School for a few hours. 

Instead, that same day – on April Fool's Day – a group of quick-thinking and fast-responding teachers and staff member saved the woman's life. 

"Without them I wouldn't be here," Mills said on Thursday as she held onto her husband's hands and tears filled her eyes. 

Mills, who has been a substitute teacher at the district for the last five years, suddenly collapsed in an eighth-grade classroom where she was working as a teacher's aide. She had suffered a cardiac arrest, paramedics said. 

A student quickly called for help and Jasper Fox, an earth science teacher who was in a nearby classroom, immediately came in and began CPR. 

"Instinct kicked in," said Jasper, who has been trained in CPR but has never had to perform it in an emergency situation. 

A second teacher and a hall monitor arrived almost immediately to provide assistance. Within seconds, school nurse Pat Schurr and school resource officer Angel Garcia were on the scene, took over CPR and began the use of the automated external defibrillator (AED). 

"By the time the paramedics and everybody got there, Pat [Schurr] and I got a strong pulse," Garcia said. "That's when her blood pressure went up."

He commended everyone involved for not "freezing" and doing what they were supposed to do in order to save Mills' life.

"Pat [Schurr] had tears in her eyes from the tension, but not once did she stop, she kept going and going and going," he said. "You can't stop, you can't panic." 

Other staff members also played key roles in calling 911, clearing the classroom of students, and moving desks to clear the way for emergency responders. Those actions, school officials said, were instrumental in the positive outcome.

The staff members – more than a dozen of them – who were involved were recognized Thursday night at the Lakeland board of education meeting at the middle school.

"It seems surreal that it happened, but it's truly a family here," Mills said. "There is so much love and compassion and friendship here. It's my favorite school."

Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School Principal Vanessa DeFonce said it was everybody's quick thinking and ability to stay calm that helped save the woman's life. 

"We really are a very close community here," DeFonce said. "When it comes down to it, this building always pulls together. People really care about people."

School counselor Nadia Potter said that besides everyone being "generous and kind and loving" and always sticking together, performing regular drills at the school has helped them be prepared.

"Everybody did a spectacular job," school nurse Pat Schurr said.

Lake Mohegan Volunteer Ambulance Corps first responders and Yorktown paramedics Rich Ulrich and Matthew Tuttle also assisted the woman. 

Lakeland staff teachers who were instrumental in saving Mill's life and were honored Thursday night include:

Tracy Mecca

Chris Cummings

Nadia Potter

Maureen O'Boyle

Kelly Rampolla

Sharon Vicciardo

Deirdre Moore

Patricia Schurr

Meghan O'Brien

Jeanne-Marie Flemming

Bernie Puff

Denise Denison

Donna O'Connor

Jasper Fox

Angel Garcia, school resource officer

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