Heidi Stewart and her SCA Survival Story

Around this time of the year, many students are preparing for graduation. Students are taking their senior photos at special locations in their cities, compiling lists for graduation invites and crossing their fingers to finish finals and get on with the rest of their life… it’s a typical graduation story.

Heidi Stewart’s story is anything but typical.

On February 12, Stewart was helping students hang pink paper hearts around school hallways for Valentine’s Day. As she was walking down the hall to the school office, she began to grow weary and feel herself passing out.

The school nurse was called and rushed to the collapsed Stewart with an automated external defibrillator (AED) as emergency services were called. While the Associate Principal and Dean of Students began prepping for the AED by performing chest compressions, Heidi’s parents were called—the devastating call that no parent ever wants to receive.

For eight minutes, Heidi was clinically dead. Her youthful body was shutting down as she began gasping for another breath of fresh air while blood was coming from her mouth.

After continued CPR and shocks from the automated external defibrillator (AED), Heidi was revived and brought back to life, although she couldn’t immediately see her rescuers. Her vision later returned.

HeidiStewart’s story is one of many like her, a healthy young adult, actively involved with little health complications. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can strike any, and is increasingly attacking young adults and athletes.

Had it not been for the donated automated external defibrillator (AED), Heidi might not have been able to enjoy the celebration of four years of high school.

Be alert and aware and have your family and encourage your friends to have their heart screened for potentially fatal heart disease and complications.

Christy's story of postpartum cardiomyopathy

Don’t think you’re at risk for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) or heart diseases? Think again.

After giving birth to her fourth child, Christy fell ill to what she assumed was pneumonia. She was wrong.

Christy was diagnosed with postpartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disorder in which a weakened heart is diagnosed within the final month of pregnancy or within 5 months after delivery. This means that she was unable to pump blood throughout her body effectively. After a coma and medical treatments, Christy had to re-learn how to do the simplest things.

Now, she’s on a low-sodium diet and active in an adult co-ed soccer league where she stays fit and healthy. She has a beautiful child and knows the risks. She also knows that heart issues do not discriminate on gender or age. Why don’t we?

More and more heart illnesses are striking the youth across our country as sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and others go undetected. Take action to get you and your family detected for any heart complications that may lead to issues down the road. By taking action, regardless of age, you may prevent a fatal and deadly attack. Save your family and yourself. Take action.

Another reason for an AED

An inspirational story from Allegheny County in Pennsylvania where the quick actions of a neighbor and emergency services saved the life of Roland “Mike” Dulaney when he fell victim to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

A neighbor had just finished Christmas dinner with his family when he received a call regarding the collapse of a 62-year-old man nearby. He alerted medical professionals, asking them to bring an automated defibrillator (AED) to the scene, and then rushed over to his neighbors house where he found the man unconscious on the dining room floor.

The neighbor performed CPR while rescuers from emergency services stepped in with the AED. They followed him, while providing advanced life support, to a nearby hospital.

Rates jump from a survival rate of 10 percent to 40 percent with an AED is used before medical services arrives so the neighbors actions were critical in the survivial of Roland Dulaney.

“It was a humbling experience,” said the neighbor.  It was a Christmas miracle.

For more information on how your youth organization can get an AED - visit the Living for Zachary AED Donation page and apply for a lifesaving AED today.