Allen firefighters and the department's own fire chief ran up their training tower to rescue a teenager who collapsed during their citizen academy graduation exercises.
Jakob “JJ” Perez was thrilled. He had just completed the Allen Fire Department’s eight-week Citizens Fire Academy.
The academy allows a select number of citizens at least 18 years of age to learn about how the department works.
Members receive hands-on training and are able to go on ‘ride-alongs’ with AFD.
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“He’s been dedicated to this,” said Perez’ sister Crystal Hall. “He’s always had this thing about being a hero.”
The 18-year-old and other academy members celebrated graduating from the academy last Thursday by demonstrating some of the skills they had learned.
Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd was part of the day’s events that included a physical ability test involving pulling fire hoses up the department’s training tower.
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“I was just underneath him and I heard the hose kind of just fall to the ground and I looked up there on the fourth floor and saw he had fallen over,” said Boyd. “By the time I got up there, they were already doing CPR on him.”
Boyd says about a dozen of his firefighters, who are also trained paramedics, rushed in and immediately began life-saving measures.
They opted not to carry Perez down but rather to bring up equipment including an automated external defibrillator, AED to jump-start his heart as quickly as possible.
“He was surrounded by some very well-trained personnel and paramedics. These are the best of the best,” said Boyd. “It really was miraculous how quickly they were able to provide advance care and get his heart started again.”
Hall says her brother, the youngest of five siblings, survived sudden cardiac arrest.
He is currently in the ICU at Texas Health Allen where doctors are working to find out exactly what led to the medical emergency.
Perez, she says, had expressed feeling tired recently but was otherwise very healthy.
His only indulgences are Oreo cookies and lemonade.
He stays active at PF Chang’s in Allen working the to-go section, she said.
It is possible doctors have discovered a previously undiagnosed heart problem that may require surgery, according to Hall.
The close-knit family is at Jakob’s side, hoping he makes a full recovery.
The month of May doesn’t seem to be a good month for our family, said Hall at one point.
“We had this happen,” she said. “Last year, we had the mass shooting at the Allen Outlet Mall.”
Their other sibling is a manager at the mall’s Nike store and was among the terrified witnesses who were escorted away from the site of the deadly mass shooting in May 2023.
The tragedy only solidified Jakob’s long-held dream of becoming a firefighter.
“His sister was there. He’s very protective over his family,” said Hall. “But in general, he cares about people so much and what happened at the outlet mall with the shooting just really further led him on this path.”
Jakob, says Hall, was checked out by a doctor before being allowed into the fire academy.
His family hopes his story encourages more citizens to receive training on how to use an AED and that these lifesaving machines may be more widely available.
They also hope Jakob’s dream of helping others doesn’t end because of the medical emergency.
Chief Boyd’s words of comfort to the selfless young man: “We’re going to do what we can to achieve his dreams.”
The fire chief points to other important and fulfilling positions within the department in case Jakob is unable to carry out the duties of a firefighter.
Jakob’s family has set up a verified GoFundMe account to help cover medical expenses. To help, click here.
