'God's In Ultimate Control': MMA Fighters Give Mustang Teen A ‘Fighting Chance’ Following Heart Attack

A Mustang High School football player and MMA fighter continues to fight for his life.

Zach Doran had a heart attack last Sunday while practicing at an Edmond gym. His family says the quick actions by fellow fighters helped save his life.

“I thought he got knocked out first,” said Chidi Okere, an MMA fighter who knows Doran.

Okere says he was at the gym when he saw Doran fall to the mat.

“We instantly took part when we saw him crash,” he said.

TJ Smith also came to his aid. Knowing CPR, many of the fighters knew it was more than a hard hit.

“When you start seizing and your lips change color, then that got scary,” said Smith.

However, they put that fear aside and helped as another fighter started CPR until paramedics arrived.

“He was gone, he wasn't breathing or had a heartbeat or nothing and then he came back,” Smith said.

Zach’s father, Jason Doran, says he is thankful they knew CPR.

“If they weren't there, we wouldn't be here right now, so they gave him a fighting chance,” Doran said.

Now Doran says his son is fighting a different fight, for his life, inside the Oklahoma Heart Hospital.

“We've tried to find answers of what exactly happened and it's really kind of dumbfounded the doctors a little bit on exactly what happened,” Doran said. 

Doran says doctors placed his son in an induced coma following his heart attack. The otherwise healthy teenager had no known heart issues, according to his father.

“It's been a struggle, but our faith is what keeps us in there, prayers from the community, prayers from the guys from the gym, we've had people from all over the country praying for him,” he said.

Friends and family continue to pray for the teenager inside his hospital room and outside the hospital, during a vigil over the weekend.

“It's been a blessing to know that people care about you and the best thing they can do is just keep us in their prayers,” Doran said. “This is his story, this is God's story, and we know that we're comforted in that to know that God's in ultimate control no matter what the doctors say no matter what everybody says, God will have the final say.”

While his son continues to fight, Doran says the family also plans to act, to create a new law in Zach’s name to require AEDs in all gym facilities.

“Hope to God they never have to use it but if they do, they're ready,” he said.

For those who stepped in that day, they say they have faith Zach is going to pull through.

“He's a good kid and I figure he's 18, he's tough, I think he'll be alright,” said Smith.

“He's a fighter, he does MMA, so enough said,” said Okere.

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