Taylor Maier, an 18 year old center on the Pierre Governors football team, collapsed and nearly died on the field during pregame warm-ups Saturday. Maier went into cardiac arrest and Doctors revived him with a defibrillator. He is now under evaluation at the Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Maier's parents and coaches knew about his heart condition before his collapse, but his doctor had cleared him to play.

After an outpouring of concern from the public, Taylor Maier has released a statement to KSFY stating, "I am grateful for all the prayers that I've received, and thank you to everyone who helped that night. Everyone just seemed to be at the right place at the right time."

Dr. Cindi Pochop, one of the two doctors who helped save Taylor Maier's life, says the real credit should go to the portable defibrillator they used.

Rochelle Laurent, the athletic trainer for O'Gorman high school, says the defibrillator she has on hand has never been used, but she says it's as important as any of the supplies she carries.

"I'm always thinking before the game, What would I do if... And then go through the ABC's so I'd be ready in case it does happen," Laurent said.

Nobody was ready this in Rapid City this July, when 16 year old Ryan Gramberg collapsed and died during a football camp from an undetected heart condition.

Pochop says Taylor Maier could have easily been the second South Dakota football player to die from a heart condition this year when he collapsed on the field Saturday night. She said he had no pulse for at least two minutes, and it was clear he was in cardiac arrest. But Pochop says alert and asking questions after just one shock from the defibrillator.

Rochelle Laurent says it's just the latest example of why defibrillators are so important.

"Well it makes me think there's a lot more out there that we don't know about I mean the one they knew, the other they didn't," Laurent said. "You just have to assume there's going to be one sometime in your career that's going to be that situation. So you've just got to be ready."

Taylor Maier's parents didn't want to go on camera, but they released this statement to KSFY: "We would like people to realize what kind of life saving devices those public defibrillators really are."