Local Residents Saved by AED's Spearhead Fundraising CampaignLocal Residents Saved by AED's Spearhead Fundraising Campaign

9/16/14 - Two local individuals who have experienced the lifesaving benefits of Automated External Defibrillators are helping coordinate a fundraising campaign to purchase more of the devices for law enforcement agencies across Livingston County. 33-year-old Courtney Alexander of Hamburg Township, who is pictured, is a featured 2014 “heart hero” by the American Heart Association and will be participating in the Detroit Women’s Half Marathon this weekend. She has never had any health problems or family history of heart issues but ended up going into cardiac arrest in the driveway of her babysitter’s home after a full day of skiing last February at Mount Brighton. The mother of three says luckily, a responding Hamburg Township police officer had an AED the day she went into cardiac arrest and was able to deliver two shocks to restart her heart. Alexander and 61-year-old Glenn Wilt of Brighton Township are hoping their lifesaving stories will spur community action and are coordinating efforts with Michigan State Police at the Brighton Post. Wilt, who has a lengthy family history of heart issues, suffered a heart attack while unloading his van in his driveway on June 9th, 2013. His wife and daughter started CPR and called 911 and he says a MSP trooper had an AED in his patrol vehicle and arrived within minutes of hearing the call, before EMS and other responding agencies. Doctors told him it was the quick actions of everyone that saved his life and helped prevent permanent heart damage. He firmly believes that he wouldn't be here today had the trooper not responded so quickly and had the AED. His father passed away from an enlarged heart, as did his son at the age of 26 in 2010. Wilt says on the day he buried his son, his cousin died in her sleep with an enlarged heart. His brother passed away last May from a blood clot. While its been a rough few years, he’s come a long way. Wilt has completed cardiac rehab and says he feels good, walking around three miles every day and that he tries to work out and eat as healthy as he can. A crowd funding website has since been set up, with a goal to raise $25,000 county wide for the purchase of 25 AED’s in vehicles. A link to that site is available below. (JM)