I’m like many of you. I’m a New Jersey resident, a father, I’m involved in my community, and I go to work every day. And like many of you, I never gave too much thought to the importance of CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). That was until I died on a baseball field June 28.
I’m writing on behalf of the American Heart Association to urge New Jersey residents, citizens and parents to learn CPR and support AED programs in your community at all athletic and sports facilities, such as ballfields, gyms, arenas and stadiums.
The year prior to my incident, some parent-coaches and I worked to obtain an automated external defibrillator for our baseball softball association. It was precautionary — to be prepared “just in case.” The Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. graciously helped us with the AED acquisition, but I never imagined it would be my life that would be saved.
On June 28, I went to see my son play in a baseball game. For some reason, I went to the wrong field. For me that day, it was the “right” field, because the AED was at that cluster of ballfields. I was having a conversation when I suddenly collapsed in cardiac arrest. I was 53 years old, and I was clinically dead. I had no heartbeat, no pulse, I was not breathing.
Surviving cardiac arrest — which kills at least 250,000 people every year — is all about “time,” says the American Heart Association. Few victims survive after 10 minutes. Without early CPR, brain damage can begin in three to five minutes.
I was very lucky. Other parents and coaches immediately called 911 emergency and started early CPR. Early CPR keeps oxygen going to the brain and buys a little time. The AED was rushed to me and I was shocked back to life after about seven minutes.
April 8-16 is American Heart Association CPR Week. The theme of American Heart Association CPR Week is “Heroes Aren’t Born. They’re Trained. Learn CPR!” How true that is. More than 70 hospitals, health departments and other public sites are partnering with the American Heart Association to offer the lay public CPR training for free. Call 1-877-242-4277 to learn more, find a site near you, or to register. Learn CPR and you might some day save a parent, a child, a friend or neighbor, even a baseball coach.
I join with the American Heart Association to urge you to learn CPR and support community AED programs. Learn more by calling the American Heart Association in New Jersey at (732) 821-2610 or call 1-877-242-4277.
Patrick Cox
Ewing
New Jersey volunteer
American Heart Association