Unity Christian junior almost died four months ago, now he’s back in uniform

Unity Christian’s Jake Chapman grabs a rebound during pre-game warmups on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. - Jake Chapman was taking jump shots and running through the layup lines while wearing his No. 34 Hudsonville Unity Christian basketball uniform on Tuesday night.

Why is this a big deal? 

Because the Unity Christian junior almost died when he went into cardiac arrest on Sept. 28, 2023.

Not only has he recovered, but Chapman is defying the odds and he’s back on the basketball court, although in a very limited capacity.

“It’s a lot of fun to shock everyone with how I’ve been doing,” Chapman said. “I was supposed to be doing PT (physical training) stuff for longer than they thought, too. I’ve almost fully recovered. I’m practicing and lifting full time. I’m basically able to do everything except play fully in games.”

During the football season, Chapman, who is a 6-foot-7 tight end, took a nasty hit during a game. Five days later, he returned home after practice and he collapsed when his heart just stopped. He was placed in a medical-induced coma and spent the next two weeks in the hospital. 

Almost four months later, he’s a healthy teenager and he’s back in uniform.

On Jan. 17, in a home game against Hamilton, Chapman checked into the game in the final minute of a 68-56 win.

“It was awesome,” Unity Christian coach Scott Soodsma said. “I went up to him as the game was going on. I didn’t think we’d get a big enough lead to where we could put him in there. I said ‘you have to promise me that you won’t go for any rebounds, we’ll stay in a zone and you just stand there and then just jog up and down the floor. If you can promise me that, I’ll put you in the ball game’ So he said ‘I can do that Coach.’ His parents were fine with it. Although they didn’t know he was going to get in that game.”

He even got a standing ovation.

“It was fun to see everyone there supporting me,” said Chapman the son of Chad and Rachel Chapman. “I got a standing ovation. It felt really good that so many people cared about me and support me and knew what happened. I didn’t expect to play.”

Unity Christian’s Jake Chapman takes a few jump shots during pre-game warmups on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Chapman, a forward, was a starter on the basketball team last year. But he wasn’t anticipating on playing this season. He had his sights on getting back for the football season.

He still has a constant reminder of how serious the heart issue was. He has a scar on his upper chest and another down on the left side under his armpit where there is a device implanted to shock his heart if it ever needs it.

“Wires running from here to the sensor,” Chapman said, while lifting up his basketball warmup shirt to show the scars. “The shock comes from here to my heart. This is the defibrillator. It basically will shock my heart. They don’t think it will ever happen, but it’s just a precautionary thing.”

Earlier this month, doctors had Chapman run through tests to see how his heart is reacting to physical activity. If they liked what they saw and he was cleared to practice.

“I had a stress test on a treadmill on January 5,” Chapman said. “They hooked me up to a lot of stuff and pushed me to my limit. I just ran 10 minutes and they were watching my heart. I did really well and they cleared me to practice and lift. My goal is to get back to playing by the end of this month.”

What’s it like to put on a Unity Christian uniform again?

“It still feels weird,” he said. “But I’m with the team and starting to feel like I’m part of the team again instead of just watching everyone go through warmups and at practice. Now it’s starting to feel good.”

Unity Christian senior Colin Nieuwenhuis is happy to have Chapman back.

“It was awesome,” he said of Chapman playing against Hamilton. “We know how hard he’s worked to get back to be able to practice and maybe play soon. The standing ovation was awesome and we’re just happy to have him back.”

Soodsma said he was moved by the ovation, too.

“He has gone through so much,” Soodsma said. “Just to see him back out on the floor and back practicing … it’s an answer to a prayer,” he said. “Will he ever really play this year? I don’t know. He’s got to get cleared first (by his doctors) and that’s a big hurdle.”

Fisher returns to the court

Chapman isn’t the only Unity Christian player who returned from the disabled list.

Senior guard T.J. Fisher had played only one game this season before suffering a fracture in his neck. He said he felt something wrong when he went up to dunk during warmups. 

But he’s back now. Good timing, too, as the Crusaders are on a hot streak. They are 9-4 after beating Holland Christian on Tuesday.

“He got back in the Hamilton game,” Chapman said. “He’s not back in the starting rotation yet but he should be pretty soon.”

Fisher had eight points against Holland Christian. 

Will he be allowed to dunk?

“He’s been dunking at the end of practices already. Soodma has been holding his breath though,” Chapman said with a laugh. 

First responders honored for saving Chapman

On Monday, Jan. 22, three of the Ottawa County officers who were some of first on the scene to save Chapman, were honored with the Life Saving Award. The Georgetown Fire Department also was on the scene at the time.

Ottawa County deputies Tottingham, Heaton, and Malkewitz were honored and Chapman was there to present the awards.

Unity Christian senior T.J. Fisher is guarded by Holland Christian’s Caden VanHuis on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. Fisher had eight points. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).