>> GREG WENT TO A SMALL CATHOLIC SCHOOL.
SO HERE HE IS TENTH GRADER, SIX-FOOT-TWO, 220 POUNDS.
HE PLAYED 10 MINUTES OF THE FIRST HALF AND REALLY HAD
A GOOD GAME.
AND ABOUT A MINUTE LATER, WE WERE CALLED INTO THE LOCKER ROOM.
AND WHEN I WALKED INTO THE LOCKER ROOM HE WAS ON THE FLOOR,
AND HE WASN'T MOVING AND HIS EYES WERE CLOSED.
AND I WENT OVER AND I KNELT DOWN AND I GRABBED HIS HEAD,
AND I TOOK HIS FACE IN MY HANDS AND I SAID, "GREGORY,"
I SAID, "YOU'RE NOT BREATHING.
WHY AREN'T YOU BREATHING, GREG?"
AND I'M GOING "BREATHE" AND THAT MOMENT HIS EYES OPENED AND HIS
MOUTH OPENED AND HE TRIED TO GASP FOR A BREATH AND NOTHING
HAPPENED, AND HE CLOSED HIS EYES, CLOSED HIS MOUTH AND THAT WAS IT.
>> WELL, IT WAS DURING FOOTBALL SEASON SO I HAD GOTTEN UP EARLY
AND I HAD GONE INTO EACH OF THE CHILDREN'S ROOMS
AND JUST LIGHTLY KISSED THEM ON THE FOREHEAD,
NOT TO WAKE THEM UP, AND I WENT ABOUT MY BUSINESS.
AND IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR OR SO AFTER THAT
THAT I ASKED BRIELLE TO GO WAKE HER BROTHER UP,
AND SHE JUST CALLED FOR ME AND SHE SAID THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING WRONG WITH NICK.
AND I JUST GOT UP--NOT EXPECTING TO SEE ANYTHING REALLY WRONG.
I THOUGHT MAYBE SHE WAS PLAYING OR JOKING AROUND.
AND I WHEN I WENT UP TO HIM AND SAW HIM,
HE HAD ALREADY PASSED HE WAS GONE.
>> THE THOUGHT HAD BRIEFLY RUN THROUGH MY MIND THAT IT WAS
POSSIBLY OCCURRING THAT HE WAS, YOU KNOW, GONE,
BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO ACCEPT THAT.
I COULDN'T ACCEPT IT AT THAT TIME.
I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.
YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T THINK THAT YOUR 9-YEAR-OLD BROTHER
IS GOING TO BE TAKEN FROM YOU.
>> I WASN'T HOME THAT NIGHT.
I CALLED FROM A FRIENDS HOUSE THAT I HAD STAYED OVER
AND MY AUNT ANSWERED THE PHONE.
AND THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING IT WAS ODD TO ME AND ALL SHE KEPT
SAYING WAS, "YOU GOT TO GET HOME, YOU GOT TO GET HOME NOW."
>> I TOOK LOUIS TO-- ACTUALLY TO PLAY SOCCER.
IT WAS A PRACTICE SESSION LIKE ANY OTHER PRACTICE SESSION.
AND I WAITED IN MY CAR LIKE I DID EVERY OTHER TIME.
AND WHAT HAD HAPPENED--TWO OF HIS TEAMMATES CAME RUNNING OVER
TO THE CAR TO TELL ME THAT LOUIS COLLAPSED.
THREE WEEKS PRIOR, LOUIS HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT--WHEN HE WAS
PRACTICING ONCE AGAIN THAT HE HAD A TOUGH TIME BREATHING.
SO I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIS PEDIATRICIAN,
AND HE WAS MISDIAGNOSED WITH HAVING EXERCISE-INDUCED ASTHMA.
HIS TEAMMATE WAS ON THE CELL PHONE CALLING FOR HELP.
AND WE GOT TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL,
AND AT THAT POINT THEY WORKED ON HIM AND THEN THE DOCTOR CAME TO
ME WHILE I WAS IN THE WAITING ROOM AND BASICALLY SAID THAT
SHE APOLOGIZED, BUT LOUIS DIDN'T MAKE IT.
>> IT TOOK ME SIX YEARS TO CHANGE HIS ROOM.
BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO THINK THAT HE WAS AWAY.
I FEEL HIS PRESENCE IN MY HOUSE, AND SOMETIMES IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT TO BE HOME.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT REALLY FEELS LIKE TO LOSE A CHILD.
AND I MISS GREGORY WITH EVERY OUNCE OF MY BEING.
AND I FEEL WHEN WE DIED, YOU KNOW,
A PART OF ME DIED AS WELL.
AND I OFTEN THINK THAT MY HEART IS HELD TOGETHER WITH THREADS.
>> SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS THE, AS STATED,
SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED STOPPING OF THE HEART.
THE HEART, INSTEAD OF BEATING IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER AND PUMPING
BLOOD AND NUTRIENTS TO THE BODY, BEGINS TO QUIVER
AND DOES NOT PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE BLOOD FLOW.
SO IF THAT IS NOT CORRECTED, WITHIN FIVE TO SIX MINUTES
THE ORGANS IN THE BODY WILL DIE AND THE INDIVIDUAL DIES.
>> IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHEN A SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST
WILL OCCUR.
SOMETIMES THERE ARE WARNING SIGNS--SHORTNESS OF BREATH,
EXERCISE INTOLERANCE, HAVING TROUBLE WITH SPORTS.
BUT THEY CAN ALSO HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE.
IT CAN BE A PERFECTLY HEALTHY CHILD WHO SUDDENLY COLLAPSES.
CHILDREN CAN HAVE AN UNDERLYING PROBLEM OF HEART RHYTHM LIKE
A LONG QT SYNDROME, WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ARRHYTHMIA LEADING
TO SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.
AND SOMETIMES CHILDREN CAN BE EXPOSED TO DRUGS
OR TO CONDITIONS LIKE AN ELECTRIC SHOCK WHICH CAN
LEAD TO AN ARREST.
>> I'VE MET SO MANY DIFFERENT PARENTS THAT, I THINK,
THE HARDEST THING IS MEETING THE PARENTS THAT DON'T KNOW WHY
THEIR CHILD DIED.
THAT THERE WASN'T AN AUTOPSY DONE OR THE CORNER
OR THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DID NOT COME UP WITH A CAUSE OF
DEATH, AND I THINK THAT'S THE HARDEST THING FOR THE PARENTS
TO ACCEPT BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
>> SUDDEN DEATH IN KIDS IS NOT A TOPIC THAT ANYONE
WANTS TO DISCUSS.
NO ONE EVER BELIEVES IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT--WHAT WE DO IS WE EXPLAIN THAT LOUIS
WAS JUST A NORMAL KID, DOING A NORMAL THING,
AND SOMETHING TRAGIC DID HAPPEN.
BUT, AS A RESULT, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO PREVENT
THESE TRAGEDIES FROM OCCURRING AGAIN.
>> ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I READ WAS THAT FAMILY HISTORY WAS
SO CRUCIAL IN A CASE WHERE SOMEONE DIES UNDER THE AGE
OF 50 SUDDENLY.
SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I HAD DONE TWO WEEKS AFTER LOUIS
PASSED IS I TOOK MY SON, WHO AT THE TIME WAS 6,
TO THE PEDIATRICIAN.
AND MUCH TO MY SURPRISE THE ECHOCARDIOGRAM AND THE EKG
CAME BACK WITH A DISORDER FOR MY SON.
HE IS MONITORED NOW.
IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING THAT WE FOUND THIS,
ALTHOUGH I DO CONSIDER IT A BLESSING BECAUSE WE WOULD
HAVE NEVER CHECKED, HAD WE NOT LOST LOUIS.
WE BELIEVE THAT FAMILY HISTORY AND THE KNOWLEDGE
THAT WHEN YOU LOSE SOMEONE VERY YOUNG TO SUDDEN DEATH,
THE WHOLE FAMILY SHOULD BE SCREENED.
>> AN AED IS AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR.
IT IS A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM THAT CAN DELIVER AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO
THE HEART TO JUMP-START OR TO REINITIATE A NORMAL HEARTBEAT.
>> AED'S ARE REALLY COACHES.
THEY'RE SMART SHOCK BOXES.
YOU WOULD CALL 9-1-1.
YOU WOULD START CHEST COMPRESSIONS AND LISTEN FOR
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PERSON DIRECTING YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE
SENDING SOMEONE TO GET THAT LIFE-SAVING AED.
>> INITIALLY, THE FIRST INSTRUCTION IT GIVES YOU
IS TO START CPR AND THEN IT WILL CHECK THE RHYTHM
AND THEN IT WILL SHOCK.
THEN IT WILL REASSESS.
THEN IT WILL TELL YOU IF YOU NEED TO RESTART CPR AND START
THE CYCLE AGAIN OR NOT.
>> THE USE OF THE UNIT IS REALLY VERY EASY.
ONCE PEOPLE PRACTICE ON THEM WITH THE TRAINERS THAT WE HAVE,
THE PRACTICE TRAINERS, AND THEY SEE HOW SIMPLE IT IS,
THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY GOES DOWN.
THE FEELING THAT "YOU KNOW WHAT?
I CAN DO THIS.
I COULD HELP SOMEBODY WITH THIS UNIT."
>> YOU CAN BUILD ANYBODY'S AWARENESS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S VALUE ADDED IN IT.
I MEAN, HAD WE BEEN MORE AWARE, IF WE KNEW SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW,
SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT.
YOU KNOW, WOULD THE OUTCOME HAVE CHANGED?
I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU LEARN TO BELIEVE
THAT REGARDLESS OF, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON YOUR FAITH,
IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT THE MORE YOU CAN MAKE PEOPLE AWARE
AND YOU CAN AVOID THE TRAGEDIES THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH.
>> I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM NICOLE TELLING ME THAT SHE GOT
TO THE POOL OKAY, AND SHE SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO EAT,
AND SHE WAS GOING TO GO INTO THE POOL.
ABOUT A HALF-HOUR LATER, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF THE MOMS
ASKING ME "HAS NICOLE EVER PASSED OUT BEFORE?"
AND I SAID, "NO, WHY?"
AND THEN THE PHONE WENT SILENT.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT A HALF-HOUR BEFORE I ACTUALLY
HEARD SOMETHING, BUT IT WAS MUCH QUICKER.
I HEARD THEM IN THE BACKGROUND SAYING THAT, "SHE HAS A PULSE."
AND I SAID, "WHAT?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE HAS A PULSE?"
THEY SAID, "YOU NEED TO COME OVER TO THE SWIM CLUB RIGHT AWAY."
>> I LOOK AT MY FACULTY AND I LOOK AT THE STUDENTS AND I LOOK
AT MY PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS THAT COME INTO MY SCHOOL
AND I HAVE A SENSE OF--I GUESS, SECURITY THAT I KNOW THAT IF
I HAVE SOMEONE IN MY BUILDING, I FEEL I CAN DO SOMETHING
TO HELP THEM IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN IN MY BUILDING.
>> PERSONALLY, THIS IS MY PERSONAL FEELING, I THINK THEY
SHOULD BE IN EVERY SCHOOL BUILDING.
I DON'T NEED ANY CONVINCING.
AND IT'S SUCH A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR AN INSURANCE POLICY,
SUCH A SMALL PRICE TO PAY.
>> WE DECIDED TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM AT THE CHILDREN'S
HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA CALLED "YOUTH HEART WATCH."
WE WERE INTERESTED IN FINDING INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT BE AT RISK
FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST AND PROTECTING THEM IF THEY DID HAVE
A SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.
SO WE WERE LITERALLY WATCHING THE HEARTS OF THE YOUNG.
>> WELL, YOUTH HEART WATCH GIVES US HOPE.
YOUTH HEART WATCH IS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE ONES WE LOVE.
IT'S ABOUT BEING PREPARED FOR THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN--
CARDIAC ARREST.
IT'S ABOUT GIVING US CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN DO THE RIGHT THING.
>> YOUTH HEART WATCH IS A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WITH
MANY PARTS, BUT ONE SIMPLE, VERY IMPORTANT GOAL--
TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST
AND DEATH AMONG CHILDREN.
WE AIM TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA,
NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE HAS AED'S AND STAFF TRAINED TO USE
THEM AND PERFORM CPR.
WE'LL HELP YOU FIND WAYS TO RAISE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE AED'S.
WE'LL HELP YOU START CPR AND AED TRAINING PROGRAMS.
WE'LL HELP YOU RUN DRILLS AND LEARN HOW TO KEEP YOUR PROGRAMS
AND EQUIPMENT UP TO DATE.
AT YOUTH HEART WATCH ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT GOALS IS TO RAISE
AWARENESS OF RISK FACTORS AND SYMPTOMS OF SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.
WE HAVE STARTED TO PERFORM SCREENINGS
WITH ELECTROCARDIOGRAMS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
AT EVERY SCREENING WE FIND CHILDREN WITH UNDIAGNOSED HEART
CONDITIONS, SOME AT RISK FOR SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.
JOIN YOUTH HEART WATCH.
TOGETHER WE CAN TAKE STEPS NOW THAT CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH FOR ONE OF YOUR STUDENTS.
>> WITH CPR AND READY AVAILABILITY OF AN AED,
ONE CAN QUADRUPLE SURVIVAL FROM SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST
IN THE COMMUNITY.