A 17-year-old Waiakea High senior is in a medically induced coma at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children after his heart stopped while playing basketball.
Ryler Nishimoto, who is a month away from graduating, was at Wainaku Gym last Wednesday evening when he “collapsed and went into cardiact arrest,” according to a gofundme.com page set up by family friend Gina Chun to raise money for the boy’s medical bills.
“He flat lined but by the good grace of God the paramedics were able to bring him back. Ryler is now at Kapiolani Children’s and Women’s hospital and is in an induced coma. We all praying that when he does wake he will lead a normal life,” Chun wrote on the page.
A spokeswoman at Kapiolani Medical Center on Oahu did not return a phone call seeking an update on Nishimoto’s condition, and attempts to contact family members for more information were unsuccessful as of press time.
The crowdfunding website, located at gofundme.com/qnjet8, tallied 57 donations totaling more than $4,600 by 2:30 p.m. Thursday, after only 24 hours online. The campaign has a stated goal of $20,000.
As visitors left donations, some also offered words of encouragement and support.
“Praying for Ryler, his family, and the staff at Kapiolani!!” wrote Jackie Gomes.
Miki Kelii said, “God Bless this ohana please! Aloha.”
Chun’s post described Nishimoto as “a very sweet young man” who is “very helpful to his mother.”
“Most recently he helped the Crescent City Lions at our annual Andagi fund raiser. (Nishimoto’s mother) Carol (Kubojiri), her sisters and children all helped and they all made over 4,000 andagis. The monies raised goes to help with the club and is donated to different charities throughout the year.”
After Nishimoto collapsed at the gym last week, two fellow Waiakea students came to his aid, performing CPR and calling 911. The students had just recently learned the technique to keep blood pumping to the boy’s brain as part of the high school’s annual Health Academy classes.
Prinicipal Kelcy Koga, who said he could not release the names of the victim or the boys who helped him, said Wednesday that the fact that two of his students had helped to keep Nishimoto alive as they waited for paramedics was both gratifying and heartbreaking at the same time.
“I met with the two boys, and it’s a real bittersweet kind of thing,” he said. “The fortunate part was that they knew what to do and they did it.
“… What’s sad is it’s still one of our students that ended up in the situation.”
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.