A San Diego City College student died after a weight training class at the Harry West Gymnasium Feb. 8.

Eric Dixon, 41, had just finished a 90-minute workout when he lost consciousness. An Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) who was enrolled in the class assisted Dixon while athletics trainer Mitch Charlens called 911.

The EMT did a vital check on Dixon and determined that CPR needed to be performed.

“The EMT was the first responder; I came in while (the) student was giving CPR compressions.” said head athletic trainer Lori Ray, who was one of four staff members assisting Dixon.

“CPR was being administered the whole nine minutes while paramedics arrived.”
Upon arrival, paramedics performed life saving measures on Dixon before he was transported to UCSD hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“He was enrolled in the class, was an active participant,” said Athletics Director Kathy McGinnis.

“It’s an emotional tragedy,” McGinnis said. “We did everything we could to help him.”

The Athletics Department faculty are all certified and trained to perform CPR and is fully equipped for any emergency response measures. There are six defibrillators in the facility.

City College’s full-time mental health professional Leslie Easton conducted a follow up.

“College does support for students to talk to our mental health professional when exposed to these horrendous situations,” said McGinnis.

Dixon’s cause of death is not yet known.