Del Oro High Graduation Attendee: 'What Were They Thinking?'

GRANITE BAY (CBS13) - A woman who passed out in the crippling heat at a Loomis high school graduation ceremony wants to know what the school was thinking after more than a dozen people suffered heat-related illnesses.

"What were they thinking? Evening graduations only," said Karen Parsegian.

At 9 a.m., Parsegian didn't think she should worry about the heat at Del Oro High School's graduation ceremony Saturday.

"I didn't even pack a bottle of water because at 9, 9:20 in the morning, who on earth would have thought the sun or the heat would be a problem?" she said.

It turned out to be a big problem, and not just for her.

"Like, five kids had gone down and people were dropping like flies," said Parsegian.

According to Loomis fire officials, 15 people suffered heat-related injuries. Five of them were taken to local hospitals; two were in critical condition.

Parsegian, who is blind and was sitting in the handicap seating, began feeling ill under the sun.

"I thought, 'oh, I'm feeling a little funny.' So I sat down," said Parsegian.

She realized she needed to find shade right away, but it was too late.

"Next thing I know, I'm down on the ground," said Parsegian. "They said I was very pale, a little non-responsive."

Emergency crews acted quickly.

"I started coming to once they started icing my legs and giving me water and oxygen," said Parsegian.

With more than 7,000 people sitting close together, Parsegian says those in charge shouldn't be surprised so many people had heat-related injuries.

"On a synthetic turf, outside, holy smokes," she said.

Parsegian's nieces were a few of the lucky graduates who walked across the stage to get their diploma. She says her nieces feel bad for their friends who didn't get that chance, but don't realize how memorable this makes their big day.

"They have got the story to remember their graduation by," said Parsegian.

The high school has scheduled another graduation ceremony for Tuesday. This time it will be in the evening and inside.

Meanwhile, some of the Del Oro students received a diploma do-over Sunday thanks to Bayside Church.