On the second loop of his cross country race, high school runner, Seth Goldstein, voluntarily fell behind to save the life of a runner on a rival team.
"I was feeling good," Goldstein, 17, a senior at Cooper Yeshiva High in Memphis,Tenn., told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "That's when everything happened in front of me."
One of the runners from a rival school in Germantown, Tenn., suddenly collapsed in front of Goldstein; he was the only one who stopped to help the boy.
"His lips were turning blue and his eyes were rolled back in his head," Goldstein told KNOX News. "I was terrified. But then I thought to myself, freaking out isn't going to help any here."
Goldstein immediately took action -- he called out to nearby parents and told them to call 911.
By that time, the rival runner had begun to regurgitate blood.
"He had bitten his tongue and was bleeding pretty bad," Goldstein recounted to the Commercial Appeal. "I feared he was going to choke on his blood. I rolled him on his side so he wouldn't asphyxiate."
Jessica Chandler, a mother from the fallen boy's school, ran up to the pair just as the student began to have seizures, according to Yahoo News.
"He was awesome," Chandler said of Goldstein's rescue methods. "He was so competent and kind. When the boy started to come out of it he just kept saying, 'You're going to be OK. We're here. We're with you. You're going to be OK.'"
EMTs arrived shortly, and took over care of the injured runner, reported CBS Sports. When it was clear that the runner was suffering from heat-induced seizures and would recover, Goldstein stood and asked if he could finish the race. It was only then that Chandler and the EMTs realized that Goldstein was just another participant.
"The EMTs looked at me kind of funny," Goldstein said. "They're like, 'You're racing? Well, sure, go ahead. I guess you can finish the race.' "
Golstein finished the race with his slowest time, but when he reached the finish line he was greeted like a hero.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated that Goldstein called his parents using a cell phone and told them to call 911, he actually called out to nearby parents who were watching the race.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.