Isanti BMX racer saved by off-duty nurse after frightening crash

ISANTI, Minn. (FOX 9) - On most race days at Rum River BMX in Isanti, large crashes and falls occur, but when Brian Oberg went down, it wasn’t long until everyone realized this wasn't an ordinary crash. 

On April 2, Oberg crashed, rolled off his bike and passed out. Immediately, several people nearby sprung into action to try and save him.

"I kept working on him, telling him not today, Brian, we’re coming back," local healthcare worker Jennifer Swanson said. "I just wasn’t stopping until I got him back… it’s what I’m trained to do. I’m not a hero or anything like that, I did what I was supposed to do in the moment."

At first Oberg was unconscious, but eventually, he regained consciousness and was able to walk off the track with some help. Then, once off the track, things turned for the worse again.

"I collapsed on the floor, I wasn’t breathing, I didn’t have a heartbeat, and then I was given CPR," Oberg explained.

"There was a point [when] the thought came across my mind that he may not make it, and how would it impact the kids around us?" Swanson added. She stayed focused in the moment, and after about three minutes of CPR, Brian came back and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

Oberg explained he suffered 10 broken ribs, a broken vertebra, and has issues with his shoulder. Even with so much of his body in pain, Oberg says things could’ve been much worse, and for that, he’s beyond grateful.

"You can’t thank somebody for saving your life. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here," Oberg said.