Sipsey Valley athlete still in recovery months after cardiac arrest event

It’s rare, but not unheard of: As Bronny James, son of NBA legend LeBron James, recovers from experiencing sudden cardiac arrest at his college earlier this week, one local athlete is still feeling the effects of his own medical event.

Sipsey Valley High School basketball player Braylon Scott, like James, went into cardiac arrest during basketball practice. For Braylon, it happened May 19, when he was just 14.

It’s thanks to one of the basketball trainers that Braylon is still alive today; during the desperate wait for an ambulance, a trainer kept up CPR for nearly 30 minutes.

“I don’t really remember anything from it, actually,” Scott said. “I just remember waking up in the hospital and everyone telling me I passed out on the court and went to cardiac arrest.”

He’s undergone two massive surgeries since the event: open heart surgery July 6 and a follow-up days later on July 10.

Braylon has some advice for other athletes that could keep them from serious injury or illness.

“Listen to your body and don’t give up,” he said. “If you are in pain, just tell your parent, tell your doctors.”

Sipsey Valley High School girls basketball coach Jerome Elliot said Braylon’s incident shows there’s no way you can be too careful when it comes to player safety.

“That was an extremely scary situation,” Elliot said. “But we had the proper protocols in place. A trainer was on campus, came in and used the proper equipment to revive Braylon.”

Braylon’s mother, Letisha Samuel Scott, said she’s thankful for the community and school’s support during her family’s hardship, as they’ve been the family’s biggest support system.