Huntley Project Student Donates Defibrillators

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By MacLeod Hageman

Story Published: Sep 13, 2011 at 5:39 PM MDT

Story Updated: Sep 14, 2011 at 7:29 AM MDT

BILLINGS - A Huntley Project student nearly lost his life in March when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest during class. One day before Brooks Beler's 14th birthday, he presented two of the gadgets that helped save his life.

Brooks Beler's mission over the summer was to raise money for two AEDs or Automated External Defibrillators that he presented to Huntley Project Tuesday morning. "I think it's really awesome,and I hope they'll never have to use them, but if they do it'll save a life," Brooks Beler; sudden cardiac arrest survivor said.

Brooks was born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that caused his heart to work harder to pump blood. Monday March 14th, the 7th grader rushed to his last period science class when his teacher noticed something out of the ordinary. "He sat down and started bouncing in his chair, almost like he had been shocked. I looked at him, and he slid down to the floor, and that's when the red flag went up," Christy Jobman, Brooks' science teacher.

Christy Jobman immediately called for help and alerted other teachers to bring the school's defibrillator. Fortunately, EMTs responded immediately and were able to save Brooks' life. "It saved my life because my heart started beating at an abnormally fast rate. So when it delivered the shock it stopped my heart and then started it back up again in normal rhythm," Brooks said.

Brooks was life flighted to St. Vincent Healthcare and later flown to Seattle where he underwent surgery to have is ICD or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator put in place. Days later he was released. Jobman, Brooks' science teacher, was familiar with his medical history because she was also his 5th grade teacher."It's just so rewarding to have been prepared and to know what to expect, and to be able to make the right decision and to do the right things," Jobman said.

After the ceremony, students were organized into groups to learn how defibrillators work as well as how to maintain healthy hearts. The defibrillators cost about $2,000.00 each. Brooks reportedly was the youngest surviving sudden cardiac arrest patient in the nation. Brooks was scheduled to be a guest speaker at the annual sudden cardiac arrest association meeting in Minneapolis.

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Frank said on Wednesday, Sep 14 at 6:40 AM

We can learn from our own kids.

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