Curtis Honored by Magazine for Life-Saving Effort

Brigham Young University Head Athletic Trainer George Curtis has been recognized with Training & Conditioning Magazine's "Above the Call Award" for saving the life of a BYU professor last year.

According to a recent article in Training & Conditioning, Curtis was in the BYU football office having just concluded a meeting with NFL scouts when BYU swim coach Tim Powers burst through the door.

"We need help, call 911," said Powers. "A faculty member had a heart attack on the court, we think he's dying -- come help!"

Curtis raced to the gym where Kay Campbell, a BYU professor of elementary education, had collapsed on the floor. Nearly 15 people were standing around him, but none of them knew CPR.

Curtis immediately began CPR and was soon joined by BYU Head Baseball Coach Vance Law.

"George was doing both compression and breathing, so I said 'I got you, George,' and jumped in and started helping," Law told Training & Conditioning Magazine.

"George did the breathing, and we kept Campbell viable until the paramedics showed up. It was about four or five minutes, but it seemed longer," Law said.

"I was there within less than a minute after he hit the deck, and I had my hands on him when he hit full arrest," Curtis told Training & Conditioning Magazine. "I don't think he would've made it if we had not been there."

According to Training & Conditioning, "Even without his life-saving action, Curtis would be more than worthy of this award."

A 1971 graduate of Southern Utah University, Curtis came to BYU in 1985 after serving as head athletic trainer for the Los Angeles Express of the United States Football League (USFL).

He was previously the head athletic trainer at Santa Ana College for 13 years, where he also served as strength and conditioning coach. Curtis was a 1996 recipient of the National Athletic Training Service Award and a 1999 recipient of the Outstanding Football Athletic Trainer Award.

Since coming to BYU in 1985, Curtis has expanded the school's training and conditioning curriculum.

"The thing I like most about athletic training is that no two days are ever the same," Curtis said. "You have different sports at different times of the year, with the potential for different injuries."

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photo by Mark Philbrick