McAuliffe S.T.E.M. Academy community saves father’s life after sudden cardiac arrest

McAuliffe S.T.E.M. Academy community saves father’s life after sudden cardiac arrest

A fun day playing basketball with his daughter turned life-threatening when David McLarty collapsed on the gym floor from a cardiac arrest.

A group of Greeley-Evans District 6 community members, many who didn’t know each other, intervened to help the father with life-saving efforts.

“As a result of the actions of these folks, we had the best possible outcome … and we actually have a survivor with us tonight,” Superintendent Deirdre Pilch said at Monday’s District 6 Board of Education meeting.

On Feb. 25, coaches, students, parents, staff members and attendees arrived at S. Christa McAuliffe S.T.E.M. Academy, a K-8 school in Greeley, for a player vs. parent basketball scrimmage. Without warning, McLarty suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

“I left this world for three minutes that day,” he said before the board.

Twelve brave people around McLarty quickly jumped into action to perform life-saving measures before paramedics arrived, according to Jen Clark, District 6’s health services coordinator. Their quick-thinking included activating the emergency response system by calling 911, initiating CPR and retrieving and deploying the automated external defibrillator, or AED. In her honor roll segment on Monday, Pilch recognized these individuals for their help, and the meeting attendees gave them a standing ovation.

“Tonight we have the privilege of honoring these everyday heroes who, in the moment of crisis, acted with bravery, selflessness and an unwavering commitment to the safety of others,” Clark said.

The “everyday heroes” would not have been successful without the Board of Education’s dedication to student, staff and community safety, Clark said. Particularly, because the board voted this past year to approve the purchase and installation of nearly 250 additional AEDs across the district. AEDs are portable medical devices that can treat cardiac arrest by analyzing the heart rhythm and, if needed, deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat

“Every District 6 building and athletic department now has multiple AED units readily available in the event of a cardiac emergency,” Clark said. “Less than a year later, we are here to celebrate the life-saving impact this decision has made.”

In 2013, the city of Greeley was designated as a “Heart Safe City,” an initiative sponsored by the American Heart Association to educate people about sudden cardiac arrest, including the symptoms to look out for, and how to deliver CPR and deploy an AED. The efforts also placed AEDs with simple step-by-step instructions in public gathering spots throughout the community.

Since receiving this designation, more than 1,000 community members have been trained in CPR.

McLarty added that the school district’s AED investment “was not for nothing.” He learned that the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital is between 7% to 9%, but because of the districtwide training in AED devices, he defied the odds.

“Know that I will be carrying each one of you with me for the rest of my life,” McLarty said. “Because of your actions, not only do I get to continue on this beautiful thing called life, but three children will get to grow up with their dad, a girlfriend can keep her partner, a father will keep his son and a brother will keep his sibling.”