Online gaming friendships are frequently dismissed as superficial, but the digital tether connecting players across the globe occasionally serves as a literal lifeline. For one teenager in the United Kingdom, a headset microphone and a teammate in Texas meant the difference between life and death.

On January 2, 2020, 17-year-old Aidan Jackson was playing an online game in his bedroom in Widnes, England. He was chatting with his online friend, 20-year-old Dia Lathora, who was logged on from her home in Texas. Downstairs, Aidan’s parents, Caroline and Steve, were watching television, completely unaware of the medical emergency unfolding on the second floor.

During the gaming session, Aidan suddenly suffered a seizure. Lathora realized immediately that something was wrong when her teammate stopped responding and began making unusual sounds.

“I just put my headset back on and I heard what I could only describe as a seizure, so obviously I started to........

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