Hero Nurse Saves Stricken Smithtown Teacher

Thanks to a few quick acting fourth graders and a school nurse and an art teacher, Steve Jackowski is alive today.

The fourth grade teacher at Mt. Pleasant Elementary School had a near death experience on May 10 when he collapsed on the playground while out for recess with his class. The children, however, knew what to do.

“I always told my students if anything ever happened to me to run and get the school nurse,” said Jackowski.

Jackowski, 51, was in cardiac arrest. Four of his students jumped into action and ran to get school nurse Julie Murphy. Murphy, accompanied by art teacher Kathleen Martin grabbed an ice pack and a wheelchair and headed for the playground.

"The kids were playing kickball so our initial thought was that he had twisted an ankle and fallen," said Murphy. When she arrived, Jackowski was on the ground, blue and unresponsive. Murphy, a nurse since age 17, began chest compressions as other teachers ushered the kids back inside the classroom.

Murphy asked Martin to assist by holding Jackowski's head so she could perform CPR. She yelled for others to call 911 and grab the school's AED. She continued chest compressions until the AED arrived and then asked Martin to give breaths to Jackowski while she applied the AED.

"He didn't respond right away," said Murphy. "Finally, the machine picked up a pulse." Paramedics arrived and took Jackowski to the hospital.

Martin, who has been with the district for 14 years, said she had only two concerns that day.

"He is not going to die and the kids aren't going to witness it," she said. "It was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me."

On Monday evening, at the district's board of education meeting, Jackowski got to formally thank his rescuers and his fast-acting students.

The board presented both Martin and Murphy with a certificate, along with a standing ovation, for their part in saving the fourth grade teacher's life. Later, Jackowski, who now has a pacemaker, got to present each one of his students with a certificate for their role.

"Those women right there are my angels," he said.