Charles Nunez is a Lieutenant/Paramedic Firefighter with nearly 17 years of EMS experience spanning interfacility transport, 911 response, emergency department care, and fire-based EMS. For the past year, he has served at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), bringing extensive clinical experience and an unwavering commitment to his patients.

On February 5, 2026, Charles and his partner, Brandon Lauer, responded to an emergency involving a USAFA cadet who had been struck directly in the chest by a lacrosse ball. The cadet went into cardiac arrest, and his coach immediately began CPR.

When Charles and Brandon arrived, their clinical knowledge and understanding of the mechanism of injury led them to suspect commotio cordis, a rare and potentially fatal cardiac event in which a blow to the chest at a precise moment in the heart’s electrical cycle can trigger sudden cardiac arrest. Because there may be little or no external evidence to indicate the severity of the injury, recognizing the condition requires clinical awareness and attention to how the event occurred.

Charles and Brandon immediately provided lifesaving care and prepared the cadet for transport. Just as importantly, they communicated their concern for commotio cordis directly to the receiving emergency department, ensuring the hospital team understood the mechanism of injury and their suspected cause of the cardiac arrest.

The outcome was extraordinary: the cadet survived and ultimately walked out of the hospital with no neurological deficits.

The call demonstrated why experience, continuing education, preparation, and clinical awareness are so important in EMS. A provider may encounter a rare condition only once in an entire career, but when that moment comes, recognition and decisive action can make a lifesaving difference. Charles brings that same level of commitment to every patient. As his supervisor describes it, he gives 100 percent of his care and compassion regardless of whether the call involves a simple bandage or a cardiac arrest.

Outside of EMS, Charles enjoys weight and resistance training, listening to music, learning to play the drums, spending time with his girlfriend, and caring for his three dogs—Blaze, Coal, and Ozzy Pawsborne. His commitment to service also extends beyond EMS: he recently enlisted in the Army Reserves and is preparing to begin basic training.

Charles’s career reflects the clinical skill, compassion, preparedness, and dedication that define exceptional emergency medical care. His ability to recognize an extraordinarily rare emergency and act decisively alongside his partner helped give a young man the opportunity to walk out of the hospital healthy. He is proudly recognized as a Star of Life.

Brandon Lauer has dedicated 12 years to emergency medical services, including the past five years serving the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). Before joining USAFA, Brandon spent five years as an EMT/Firefighter, building the experience and clinical judgment that have become hallmarks of his EMS career.

On February 5, 2026, Brandon and his partner, Charles Nunez, responded to an emergency involving a USAFA cadet who had been struck directly in the chest by a lacrosse ball. What initially appeared to be a sports-related injury had resulted in cardiac arrest. The cadet’s coach immediately began CPR while awaiting EMS.

Upon arrival, Brandon and Charles recognized the significance of the chest impact and identified commotio cordis as the likely cause of the cardiac arrest. Commotio cordis is a rare and often fatal event in which a blow to the chest at a precise moment in the heart’s electrical cycle can trigger sudden cardiac arrest. Recognizing such an uncommon condition requires providers to connect the mechanism of injury with a potentially catastrophic cardiac event.

Brandon and Charles immediately provided lifesaving care and worked together to stabilize the cadet for transport. Their attention to the cause of the emergency remained critical throughout the response. At the emergency department, they communicated the circumstances of the cardiac arrest and their suspicion of commotio cordis to the receiving team, providing physicians with important information during a rare and time-sensitive emergency.

The outcome was remarkable: the cadet survived and walked out of the hospital alive and well.

Brandon brings the same commitment to every patient he serves. His supervisor describes him as someone who never gives less than 100 percent of his care and compassion, whether responding to a simple injury or a life-threatening cardiac arrest. His response to this extraordinary call demonstrated the clinical awareness, decisive action, communication, and teamwork that are essential to excellent emergency medical care.

Outside of EMS, Brandon is a devoted husband and father of two who enjoys hunting and spending quality time with his family. His dedication to others is evident both in the care he provides his patients and in the life he leads away from the ambulance.

Through 12 years of EMS service, Brandon has demonstrated compassion, sound clinical judgment, and a steadfast commitment to those who depend on him. His role in recognizing and responding to an exceptionally rare cardiac emergency helped give a young cadet the chance to return home to a healthy future. Brandon Lauer is proudly recognized as a Star of Life.