Students walking to class Monday morning witnessed a traumatic event as a fellow student collapsed to the ground by the Sparks Building.

But none of them stood idly by; instead they jumped into action to help.

Penn State senior Greg Boros, president of Penn State Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU), was riding his bike to class when a prior heart condition caused his heart to nearly stop.

CRU staff member Andrew Allan said people nearby immediately came to Boros' aid by calling 911 and attempting to administer CPR when it became clear that he was not breathing and had a light pulse.

Timmy Egolf, one of Boros' friends, said he was nearby when Boros collapsed because the two CRU members were attending a class together in Sparks Building. Egolf (senior-biobehavioral health) said he saw a crowd of people and when he approached to see the commotion, he saw Boros lying on the ground.

"It took me 10 seconds to just recognize him," he said. "Right away, people who didn't know him ran over, supporting his head, giving him CPR."

When emergency services arrived minutes later, Boros' heart appeared to have stopped. The EMS used automated external defibrillation to restart his heart, Allan said. "Whoever it was that helped our son, that called 911 and tried to give him CPR before the EMS got there, to the EMS, to the police, we couldn't be happier or express our gratitude," Smitty Boros, Greg's father, said.

Allan said Boros was flown to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh where he appeared to improve, gaining good motor control and communicating with his family and fiancee.

As of yesterday afternoon, Boros' heart was in good condition, but he was having trouble with short- and long-term memory, forgetting that he was in an accident and that he was in the hospital, Allan said.

At CRU's weekly meeting last night, Tim Henderson, CRU campus director, told 250 students that Boros would be receiving a defib-

rillator today that would help prevent any future episodes for the rest of his life.

They are hopeful for a full recovery but there is no way to be sure for another couple of weeks or months, Allan added.

"Everyone is really concerned and praying hard for him and his family and his fiancee," Egolf said.