The Coyotes on Wednesday signed Craig Cunningham, whose near-death incident and challenging rehabilitation captured the interest of fans everywhere, to a pro scouting contract.
Last Nov. 19, Cunningham, playing for Coyotes' minor league affiliate Tucson Roadrunners, suffered a cardiac rhythm disturbance that causes the heart to stop working.
Medics performed chest compression CPR until Cunningham arrived at Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital before later being transported to Banner – University Medical Center.
There, the 26-year-old received life-saving therapy that had a pump circulate blood through a circuit of tubing supporting heart function and an oxygenator, which acted as an artificial lung
This process affected the circulation in his left leg, part of which was amputated.