Spruce Creek player comes out of coma

A 17-year-old football player is hospitalized after he took a bad hit during football practice at Spruce Creek High School.

Jordan Peterson was taken to Halifax Medical Center in critical condition, but he is now listed in good condition.

Hospital officials said Peterson came out of a medically induced coma alert and talking.

Peterson went into cardiac arrest after he was hit in the chest Tuesday.

"I saw it happen," said Dillon Cheney, a football player.  "I guess he just got hit in the chest the wrong way and when he got hit, I guess all the air came out of him and he went like ‘ahhh.’ And then he like laid there and we thought he was fine, but he never got back up."

An off-duty police officer and an assistant coached used a defibrillator to revive Peterson.

He was then eventually transported to Halifax Health Medical Center of Daytona Beach.

Some students didn't even know about the incident. Others learned through Facebook, while some spoke with Peterson's parents.

Other classmates learned from the high school principal who made an announcement early Wednesday morning.

"I've talked to his mom about it and I’ve seen it on Facebook, and hopefully after school I'm gonna go see him,” said Tyler McCoi, a friend. 

Football practice was scheduled for later Wednesday. 

But Cheney admits it will not be the same.
     
"The mood is gonna be a little bit more mellow today," Cheney said.

School district officials said there are plenty of counselors at the school to talk to students.