A little more than a year ago at AZ Ice Gilbert, coaches and staff members from the Arizona Hockey Union were offered CPR, AED and Stop the Bleed training as a service to the program.

Josh Duffy, a coach for the Knights, went through the training regimen and put the knowledge gained in the back of his mind.

Until recently when he was in Boston for a hockey trip.

“I am very proud that Coach Duffy was able to assist a hotel guest while on a hockey trip,” said AHU president Stacy Shupe. “We never want these sessions to have to be used but glad he was able to put the training to amazing use.”

Duffy said he was not the sole person responsible for reacting in this emergency, adding that Hyatt employee Javaughn Jackson was a “critical instrument.”

“My son and I were staying at the (Hyatt) hotel while in the Boston area for an 18U AAA ice hockey tournament,” Duffy said. “On our first night, an incredibly serious medical emergency occurred on the sixth floor. I was coming out of the elevator when I heard a woman urgently yell from her room, ‘He’s OD’ing! Someone call 911.’ At first, I wasn’t sure whether I had heard correctly, but it quickly became apparent that this was a genuine emergency. I immediately ran back toward the elevator area, where I knew there was a phone, and called the front desk. I spoke with a female front-desk employee and urgently asked her to call 911. I provided the location and then immediately returned to the room. Inside, I found an unconscious man lying on his back, partially in the shower, with water running over his face and torso. He was unresponsive and, as far as I could determine, was not breathing or showing signs of a pulse.

“That was when I first encountered Javaughn Jackson.”

Jackson came upstairs to confirm the emergency. The moment he arrived, he immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation. He contacted 911 and remained on the phone with the dispatcher while helping Duffy get the individual out of the shower and onto the floor so Duffy could begin CPR.

“What happened next is something I will never forget,” Duffy said. “Javaughn remained calm and completely focused under extraordinary circumstances. He assisted with every request I made, helped move the individual away from the running water, communicated critical information to the 911 dispatcher, and stayed engaged with the situation until emergency medical personnel arrived. The EMS response was remarkably fast, and Javaughn’s immediate response and communication were critical in getting professional medical assistance to the sixth floor as quickly as possible.

“But what struck me almost as much as what happened during the emergency was what happened afterward. After EMS arrived and I had finished speaking with the medical personnel, I returned downstairs. Within minutes, I saw Javaughn back at the front desk, calmly doing his job and checking guests in as though nothing extraordinary had just happened. I was honestly stunned. I have traveled extensively and stayed at countless hotels, and I have encountered plenty of employees who provide excellent customer service. What I witnessed from Javaughn was something entirely different. It was composure under extraordinary pressure, compassion, courage, teamwork, and an immediate willingness to help someone in a life-threatening situation.”

Duffy added that Jackson did not hesitate, panic or stand back and wait for someone else to take responsibility.

“He acted,” Duffy said.

Mark Ciaccio, a veteran hockey administrator who works in hockey operations and development for AHU, applauded Duffy’s efforts in Beantown.

“I have been involved in hockey for many years, entering my 33rd season coaching in the NHL, and it’s amazing how you watch the NHL athletic trainers and medical staff and doctors prepare for a situation that could occur on the ice or with a player or staff member and how they actually go through emergency scenarios on the ice,” Ciaccio said. “I have been involved with youth hockey for just as long and AHU is the first organization I have been involved with that has offered CPR and AED training to all our staff. The value of offering this actually is off the chart. You never know as a coach when something can happen. Parents, grandparents watching games, even a player can go into cardiac arrest and not enough people are trained. I wish USA Hockey would make it a mandatory requirement for all coaches and managers.

“I thank Josh Duffy for taking the class and being at the right place and right time to save someone’s life.”

Duffy added that as he’s been in competitive sports all his life, one thing has always stood out in his mind – training and preparation is critical.

“You never know when it will matter or make a difference – small or big – but one thing is for certain, it will eventually,” Duffy said. “I am thankful that AHU allowed me the opportunity to renew my CPR and would take it every year if offered. I’d love to see it offered at all organizations. Even though I was a lifeguard at age 15, and CPR certified for most of my life, it doesn’t mean you don’t try and always be prepared or refresh those skills you were once taught. You never know when it will matter most. Now as a coach, I feel like we all have an obligation to be ready for emergencies, on or off the ice.

“That night, if it weren’t for consistent preparation and training, I honestly don’t know if that man would be alive. Natural reaction is to freeze or question action. That night, thankfully, it was training that led to action. And, as we were trained time and time again, seconds matter. You do what you can and hope for a positive outcome. This time, we lucked out.”

— Matt Mackinder

(September 28, 2026)