Jarrett Payton, the son of the late Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, is looking for two kind individuals who aided in saving his son’s life during a medical emergency in Las Vegas last week. The Paytons were vacationing in the city with Jarrett’s wife, their daughter, and 11-year-old son, Jaden, when the incident occurred.
After an afternoon of playing arcade games at Circus Circus, the family stopped by a nearby McDonald’s for a bite to eat. Suddenly, Jaden began exhibiting strange behavior, shaking, and making unusual noises. Jarrett, who is a sports anchor for WGN-TV/Chicago and a former running back with the Tennessee Titans, immediately yelled for help.
A woman came to Jarrett’s aid, helping to lay Jaden down properly on the floor, while a man provided a towel for the youngster’s head. Jarrett described the experience on his Instagram page as the “scariest moment of my life” and he is now seeking to find the two individuals who provided assistance.
The cause of Jaden’s seizure is unknown, but the Epilepsy Foundation notes that not all seizures are caused by epilepsy. It may be related to brain injury or a family trait, but the source can also be a mystery. Doctors usually make an epilepsy diagnosis if someone has two unprovoked seizures or one unprovoked seizure with a high risk of more.
In the event of a seizure, the Epilepsy Foundation recommends the following tips: remain with the person until the seizure ends; stay calm; remove nearby objects; make the person comfortable; keep onlookers away; do not hold the person down, put anything in their mouth, or give them water, pills, or food unless they are fully alert; ensure their breathing is normal; and call for help if the seizure lasts more than five minutes, if one seizure follows another without the person regaining consciousness in between, or if the person is injured during the seizure.
