But she's been proving the experts wrong ever since that ride.

While her husband, Mike, the Saratoga High School basketball coach, was at practice on Jan. 24, Kathleen was doing sit-ups at home when she went into cardiac arrest. Her 6-year-old daughter, Samie, dialed 911, and police arrived within minutes to administer CPR. An EMT unit soon reached the scene, revived her heart with a defibrillator, and rushed her to Valley Medical Center in San Jose.

Under the care of a trauma team, Kathleen was placed into a medically induced coma to rest her brain and prevent seizures, according to Kirk Abe, a close friend of the family. She's still in that coma.

Some days she has breathed on her own, opened her eyes briefly or even yawned, and her family clings to those moments of optimism. Other days, detailed in an online journal created by Abe, Kathleen has been afflicted with continuing seizures and brain swelling. She is being treated for a shrinking blood clot in her arm. Her progress fluctuates, Abe said.

For Mike—a social studies teacher at Saratoga High School and coach of the boys varsity basketball team—and his two daughters, Samantha or "Samie" and 4-year-old Rachel or "Rachie," it's been the experience no family should ever have to endure.

"I'm falling apart inside," said Mike, weeping. "The community support has been a life raft to my family and myself. They have been very, very good to us."

Gratefully, Mike listed many ways the people of Saratoga have been reaching out to his family, from prepared dinners that arrive every night; a fund to save their house since there are no longer two salaries contributing to the family's income; local churches saying masses for Kathleen; free babysitting offers; and play dates arranged for his daughters with friends.

Former students and basketball players have visited Mike everywhere from games to the hospital waiting room. Kathleen has been transferred to Kaiser Hospital of Santa Clara. Mike is still trying to coach some games, run practices and spend time with his girls, although he said he's been spending an average of 13 hours a day by Kathleen's side. A substitute teacher has taken over his courses, according to SHS Principal Kevin Skelly.

Skelly, Abe and Mike all said the recent cheating instances and bomb threat to the school have been put into perspective by Kathleen's condition. There are posters adorning the school walls for the Davey family with kind thoughts from students and staff.

"People are down," said Assistant Principal Brian Safine. "It's been a very, very difficult time for everyone."

While emotionally shaken, Mike said the experience has been negative in terms of Kathleen's suffering, but the support he has been receiving has made this life-changing occurrence unforgettable.

The Davey family lives in Campbell, but Samie attends Foothill Elementary School in Saratoga, an arrangement made available for teachers like Mike, since the school is close to where he works. As a result, Mike said Kathleen has developed a network of friends in Saratoga.

When asked what more could be done for his family, Mike requested that the community turn to God.

"We need prayers for Kathleen, because I need her two daughters to grow up with a mother," said Mike, unable to fight back the tears.

Every night, Mike said he reads to Kathleen from a growing book of letters and cards that have been pouring in each day. Mike read one of those correspondences from a former player who refers to Kathleen as "the mother of the basketball team," mentioning her patience, selflessness, and endless support and how she taught the team never to give up on themselves.

Mike has been teaching at SHS for almost 12 years, since he and Kathleen were first married. Kathleen is the youngest in a family of six, Mike said, but it's her older siblings who are always calling on her for advice.

Abe described Kathleen as down-to-earth, bright, bubbly and extremely friendly. Kathleen has been nicknamed "Bean" by those close to her, Mike said, because she didn't like being called "Lean."

"She's my true love, my best friend," said Mike, adding his wife is encouraging of the basketball team even though it has meant Mike spends less time with his family. "She's beaten the odds so far, even though the doctors have said she's not going to make it."

Through the ups and downs since Jan. 24, Abe, also a social studies teacher at SHS, has been there for Mike.

"When I got home from the hospital this evening, [Abe] let me cry in his arms," said Mike, on Feb. 11.

Abe has been coordinating meals and updating the website daily to save Mike hours of calling loved ones to tell them of Kathleen's status. Mike's sister, Kimberly Davey, has also moved in to help with the girls.

"This has been horrendously hard for him," she said. "Kathleen is beyond his soul mate."

By the community pulling together, Kimberly said, they are keeping her brother going emotionally. And, she added, "The Davey Family Fund," with a donation box established in the administrative office at SHS, will be used to help pay for any costs the family can't afford, such as medical bills.

"I've never seen anything like this," she said.

Aron Mitsunaga, captain of the basketball team, said the players have "Davey" and "Kathleen" written on their shoes, playing with Kathleen in their thoughts.

"[Mike] has been a big part of Saratoga," said Mitsunaga, whose kindergarten teacher at Harker School in San Jose was Mike's mother, Jeanne. Mike's father, Dick Davey, is the basketball coach at Santa Clara University, and his parents live in Saratoga.

"Our basketball team is a way for our community to come together," added Mitsunaga. "It would be really nice if people could support him in any way they can."

As of Feb. 11, Abe's posting on the site said doctors delivered bad news: "After 26 hours of analysis, the doctors think that the likelihood of Kathleen regaining her faculties and understanding her surroundings is unlikely. With cases such as these, nothing can be for certain. Kathleen is a fighter and has beaten the odds throughout this ordeal.

"Doctors stated that she had a 90 percent chance that she would die before she got to the hospital. They also gave her a 98 percent chance that she wouldn't make it that night, along with a 99 percent chance of not making it by the third day, and she beat those odds. Mike, his family and friends are not giving up and continue to hope for the best."

For updates on Kathleen, visit http://www.saratogahigh.org/shs/departments/staffpages/kabe/kathleenupdate.htm. To send good wishes to the family, email thinkingofyoukathleen@yahoo.com, and to assist with the food drive email kirk.abe@saratogahigh.org. Donations can be dropped off at the school's administration office or mailed to the Davey Family Fund, c/o Saratoga High School, 20300 Herriman Ave., Saratoga, CA 95070.