Gudis Family, Norwalk Hospital Donate 100 AEDs
At halftime of a match last month at Loeffler Field, a Staples senior cheering for his friends went into cardiac arrest.
Quick work by several people — Mark Gudis P’11, ’16, who had an AED in his car; Kerry Liles P’18, a nurse who performed CPR; Nicole Donovan, an EMT and mother of videographer Johnny Donovan who got his text and raced down from the pool, and Staples trainers Gaetana Deiso and Corey Iamonico — saved the young man’s life.
Out of that near-tragedy, more lives may now be saved.
Gudis and his wife MaryGrace are partnering with Norwalk Hospital to donate 100 AEDs (portable defibrillators) to Westport, Weston, Wilton, Norwalk and New Canaan. They have also joined with the Norwalk Hospital Foundation to promote the need for more AEDs and CPR training in the area. The push for AEDs at local schools, Wakeman and other parks, and playgrounds was initiated by Westport’s Greenlee family. Less than 2 years ago, their son collapsed during gym class at Bedford Middle School. He was saved by the quick action of staff members, and an AED.
Mark Gudis is a Norwalk Hospital trustee. MaryGrace is a Norwalk Hospital Foundation director. “We hope this awareness program and initiative will spread and inspire other hospitals around the state to launch similar initiatives within their own communities,” he says.
The Staples boys soccer program — which made a $1,000 donation to the Greenlee Foundation last month — is honored by the Gudis Family/Norwalk Hospital gift and project.
