A 16 year old teen, Owen West tells the story how he was revived by AED

Providence – Monday at his father’s law firm, Owen West tells his story about how he died two years ago from cardiac arrest at his high school. He stated the only reason he survived was because an AED (automated external defibrillators) was in the area and someone gave him CPR until the AED got there.


“ My name is Owen West, I am from Cannon, Connecticut and this is sometimes a little tough to say but about a little over two years ago, I died; I had a cardiac arrest in the high school cafeteria when I was a freshman and I was dead, I had no pulse, nothing for about 30 seconds. In the cafeteria luckily for me the lunch monitor was a volunteer EMT and he realizes what happen a long time before anyone else really would of. They rushed and they grab the AED they put it on me and they were almost shocked they said to administer a shock because things like this doesn’t happen every day. They shock me back to life along with that while they were running to grab the AED the nurse was performing CPR on me so that I didn’t suffer any long term brain damage which is another big thing because a lot of people think about the AED is what actually what saves you but the CPR is a what keeps you alive until the AED gets there. “
“I later learned that I have a generic heart condition called CPVT, which basically means anytime that my heartbeat goes over about 120 beats per minute I start to have extra beats that will go in then will eventually go into attack cardio which is eventually cardiac arrest. I suffered, there were some hard times after this happened. I felt pretty down about myself; wasn’t able to play sports do the things I wanted; to me it looked like things were not going to be good. I was going to live the life I didn’t want to. I met with new doctors and got new medications and I have no physical restrictions now which is really good and that makes me happy.”
“I also like to say thank you to the Red Cross obviously because a lot of people talk about them being good when disasters strikes but disasters strikes in different ways like it did for me. The Red Cross really stresses the importance of having CPR training as well as AEDs, which help save my life but you know there is a lot of kids out there that didn’t have the good story as I did and unfortunately they passed away and I think that thru having the AEDs and the work that the Red Cross does they try to minimize that and make that happen, like at least as possible.”
After speaking Owen introduces Governor Raimondo and thanked her for passing the bill.
Rhode Island law has required AEDs to be on the grounds of all public and private schools since August 1st.
“Not every state has taken this step,” to require AEDs in all schools, Gov. Raimondo told the group. “I’m very proud to be in a state that values the lives of our young people — and the safety of our schoolchildren enough — to be able to make what is really a modest investment, maybe $800 to $1000, for these kids. It saves lives.”

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