USU wide receiver Josh Davis thanks the trainers that kept him alive

LOGAN, Utah — One week after his heart stopped during football practice, Utah State University, USU, freshman wide receiver Josh Davis is giving thanks to the trainers who kept him alive.

“Really our entire training staff. There’s no question they truly saved my life,” Davis said. “Every doctor I’ve spoken to during the last week said that the CPR 110% saved my life, so I’m very grateful for that.”

Davis collapsed as he participated in USU’s spring practice at Maverik Stadium.

Davis’ coach acknowledges the player’s humility but said that Davis also has himself to thank.

“I think about Thursday (the day Davis collapsed) in a couple different ways,” said USU Head Football Coach Blake Anderson “Number one, how hard he fought.”

“The entire time the trainers and medical professionals were working on him he never quit. He never quit. And had he quit, we’d be having a different conversation.”

At a press conference attended by our partners at KSL Sports, officials from Utah State said Davis had a seizure and a non-traumatic sudden cardiac arrest. But they said neither was caused by a hit on the field.

A similar case occurred with the Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin. Hamlin collapsed during a game on January 2 of this year after taking a helmet to the chest.

Davis was taken by ambulance to Logan Regional Hospital where he was stabilized. He was then sent to the larger McKey-Dee Hospital in Ogden.

By the time his parents had arrived from Carlsbad, California, Davis had progressed from critical to fair condition.

Simone Seikaly contributed to this article.

Related reading:

• What are cardiac arrest, heart attack and heart failure?
• This life-saving medical device isn’t required at all schools. Damar Hamlin wants to help change that
• ‘Keep praying for me’: Damar Hamlin, breathing on his own, posts on Instagram for the first time since collapse