WINGATE, N.C. — A few years ago, a student-athlete at Wingate University almost died.
Isaiah Kyle was a sophomore when he suffered a cardiac arrest during track practice. His heart stopped for 12 minutes.
On Friday, Kyle competed and won the national championship in Pittsburg, Kansas.
“It feels great, especially after everything I've been through -- just the story behind it.,” Kyle said. “A lot of people doubted I'd ever get back out on the track. To just get back out there and compete was one milestone, but to get back out there and compete at a high level and go win a national championship was something special.”
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The current senior defied the odds, survived the scare and earned national runner-up the next season.
The student-athlete also was recorded to have the highest jump in Division 2 all season.
“There's only, like, a 1 percent chance I would be the same,” he said. “I guess I was that 1 percent, by the grace of God, for sure.”
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