Second-year BPHE student Mark Thomas is being commended for his courage under pressure with a Toronto Police community service award, which will be handed out by Chief William Blair at a special ceremony on April 2.

Thomas, who is a volunteer coach with his high school rugby team, was on the field last April when a member of the opposing team was critically injured and left unconscious after a tackle. Quick on his feet, Thomas rushed to the player and, together with a medic, performed CPR until the emergency services staff arrived. The 16-year-old player was revived on the way to the hospital, which doctors say may not have happened had Thomas and the medic on duty not reacted so quickly with their skills.

“I’ve been a lifeguard for a couple years now,” says Thomas when asked about his quick response to the tragedy. “I also called on the skills that I learned from my physical activity classes. I hope that no one else ever has to be in that situation, but it’s good that CPR is part of the first-year program because you never know when you’ll be called on to use it.”

Thomas, who starts his first year as a member of the Blues rugby team in September, says that while the experience definitely rattled him, it hasn’t scared him off the game – and has actually helped him learn something about about himself. “You’re never sure how you’ll react in a situation like that,” he says. “But I didn’t think twice. It was really hard seeing someone unconscious and trying to revive them. But I did know exactly what to do when I saw someone in need.”

Thomas has been in touch with the family throughout the boy’s recovery. It’s been a long road for the injured young athlete, who suffered a heart attack and required brain surgery after the hit, but with rehab he is constantly improving. Thomas says the family has plans to reunite everyone soon to celebrate a full recovery.