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Danny Berger’s heartfelt thank you letter

Danny Berger, Spencer Butterfield

Utah State forward Danny Berger (12) and forward Spencer Butterfield(21) walk off the court after they lost to Saint Mary’s 67-58, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, in Logan, Utah. (AP Photo/The Herald Journal, Eli Lucero)

AP

Danny Berger put the Utah State program through one of the most terrifying crises imaginable.

During a practice in early December, Berger’s heart-stopped. He got light-headed and passed out on the floor, where trainers first gave him CPR and then used an AED to shock his heart and bring him back to life.

Right there on the court at the Spectrum, Berger’s life was saved, in front of his teammates, his friends, his coaches.

Late last week, Berger wrote a heartfelt and touching letter to thank those that saved his life:

Athletic trainer Mike Williams is the first of these I want to thank. His skill set and quickness to act was pivotal in my survival. Jessie Parker, our team manager, my roommate and friend knew exactly where the AED was at the moment of my collapse. His awareness and clarity of mind made it possible for Mike to do what he did. The coaches who were also trained in CPR need to be thanked. The paramedics who rushed to the Spectrum and doctors and nurses who worked on me and did the necessary things to preserve my life and memory are owed a thank you. My fellow teammates were huge in the whole situation, and I cannot imagine what they were going through. I also thank everyone who thought or prayed for me or sent me a message or a card or anything like that for what they did. I have realized how great the Aggie family really is. Thousands of people pulled together and have made this process a lot easier.

The good news is that Berger seems to be getting back to being healthy and that he should be able to live a long and prosperous life. He’s currently got a defibrillator in his chest, but he’s able to do some work on a stationary bike and said in the blog post that he’s able to do some jogging.

He also said that he plans on getting back out onto the court one day. Here’s to hoping he’s able to make that happen.

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.