Griffith wakes from coma after swim accident

IU freshman wide receiver Isaac Griffith, who redshirted last season, suffered injuries to his lungs after a swimming accident last Monday evening. He was taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Fla., where doctors put him into a medically induced coma until Wednesday night. Griffith was discharged Sunday afternoon. Here is a timeline of events in his accident and recovery.

About 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 17
IU football players Isaac Griffith, Ty Smith, Nick Stoner and IU student Mitch McCune traveled to Sarasota, Fla., for spring break and stayed at La Siesta Condominiums. The four students consumed alcohol in their room before going across the street to Siesta Beach, according to an incident report from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

All four men went swimming, and the current pushed them away from shore. Griffith was reportedly taken about 15 yards away from the swim buoy, where he started to go into distress.

The incident report said McCune rescued Griffith and brought him back to shore, where he had a pulse but was unconscious. His breathing was short and sporadic, so McCune performed CPR while 911 was called.

Marine rescue and law enforcement responded, and Griffith was transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

The report said, “The hospital later reported Griffith’s CAT scan results came back normal, which is promising.”

The incident was reported at 7:31 p.m. Monday.

10:04 p.m.
Homestead Football tweeted, “Please pray for former Spartan & current Hoosier, Isaac Griffith & his family. Isaac was in a swimming accident & is critical.
Thank you.”

10:55 p.m.
IU Athletics released a statement, “We are aware of Isaac Griffith’s condition. Our prayers are with Isaac and his family and we ask Hoosier Nation to keep the Griffith family in their thoughts.”

11:04 p.m.
Shannon Griffith, Isaac’s father, tweeted that he and his wife Kim were boarding a plane to Sarasota. Then, Shannon said his son was stabilized in a medically induced coma. Isaac’s other vitals were positive, but he was “still critical.”

6:45 a.m. Tuesday
Shannon tweeted that he and Kim had arrived at Isaac’s bedside in the intensive care unit at 2 a.m. and had not left. His father said his vitals were stable, but the freshman was still in a medically induced coma and was on a ventilator to help his lungs heal.

10:48 p.m. Tuesday
Shannon tweeted Isaac was still on the ventilator, but doctors reduced it to 50 percent of his breathing.
“We continue to pray for lungs to show signs of healing and pray for the antibiotics they are giving him to ward off infection,” he tweeted. “Isaac is receiving great care here at #SarasotaMemorial critical care unit. We continue to talk to Isaac because we believe he can hear us.”

8:25 p.m. Wednesday
Shannon tweeted Isaac was breathing on his own and that the doctors brought him out of his medically induced coma.
“Today was a very good day for Isaac!” he tweeted. “Early this afternoon the doctors gave the orders to remove him from the ventilator and bring him out of his medically induced coma. He woke up well, is breathing on his own and resting at this present moment. He has responded to his name immediately, moved his hands, squeezed Kim’s hand, moved his feet.”

10:39 a.m. Thursday
Kim Savage, the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s media contact, released a statement that said Griffith was “awake, breathing on his own and responding well to his family and hospital caregivers.”
She said doctors upgraded his condition to “serious, but stable,” and they believe he will make a full recovery.
“The biggest issue right now is monitoring and treating him for pneumonia and damage to his lungs that followed his near-drowning Monday afternoon when he was caught in a riptide off Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida,“ she said in the statement.

11:00 a.m. Friday
Shannon and Sarasota Memorial Critical Care Physician Dr. Kenneth Hurwitz met with the media outside of Sarasota Memorial Hospital for the first time since the accident.

Hurwitz, who is board certified in pulmonology, critical care and internal medicine, said Isaac was not in “any immediate danger.”

The hospital press release said Hurwitz credited Isaac’s friends for getting him out of the water quickly. He said five minutes without oxygen is all it takes to cause a severe brain injury and permanent disability.

The actions of his friends who risked their own lives to pull him from the rip current, and who then performed CPR until paramedics arrived, saved not only his life but also his quality of life, according to the release.

“A lot of the credit goes to his friends,” he said. “They put themselves at serious risk to help him. Two or three minutes longer and it would have been a different story.”

According to the release, Griffith got up and walked Friday and is eating a controlled diet. He was moved out of intensive care today to a regular patient care unit.

He continues to be monitored and treated for pneumonia, lung damage and risk of infection from the salt water that was trapped in his lungs. His prognosis for a full recovery is very good.

“It’s a good day to smile,” Shannon said, thanking Hurwitz and the entire team of physicians, nurses, respiratory care therapists and others who have cared for his son since he was admitted to Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

Shannon said he learned of his son’s accident when his wife called Monday evening.

“It dropped me to my knees,” he said. “It was the worst call I ever got in my life.”

Shannon credited Isaac’s football training for saving his life.

“Not too many people walk away from that,” Shannon said. “Because of his physical conditioning, the daily regimen, the cardiovascular and strength training, good nutrition — all those things, that’s how we win football games. For me, now, that’s how you save your life.”

10:09 a.m. Saturday
Shannon tweeted Isaac’s doctor told him his chest X-ray was clearing up, and the small air pocket he had went away.

“Doctor said to get out of bed, walk around and get outside!” he tweeted. “The oxygen has been turned off and he is breathing on his own.”

1:04 p.m. Sunday
Shannon tweeted Isaac had been discharged from Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

“Thankful for everyone who lifted our son up in their prayers, the hospital staff and Sarasota for helping two strangers in need,” he tweeted.

Shannon also tweeted two pictures of Isaac in a wheelchair with each of his parents.

Minutes later, Isaac tweeted for the first time since the accident.

“Nothin’ more to say except I’m blessed. Indiana, I’m on my way home today,” he tweeted. “I can’t thank everyone for their support in these past few days for me and my family. I can’t say enough how grateful I am.”