Edmonton (Rural Roots Canada) – In the critical moments of a medical emergency, the ability to act quickly can mean the difference between life and death. Yet, when faced with a situation requiring the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), many people hesitate because they don’t know how to use the device or when to deploy it.

Kim Ruether knows all too well the importance of this knowledge after the tragic loss of her 16-year-old son, Brock, who died suddenly from a heart attack in 2012.

Kim’s experience has inspired a mission to teach others how to recognize cardiac arrest and how to use an AED to potentially save lives. Her story highlights the urgent need for AED education, especially in rural communities where medical help may take longer to arrive.

The Tragic Loss That Sparked a Mission

Brock was a healthy teenager, active in sports and full of life when he collapsed during a volleyball practice. He went off to practice that day like any other. After about half an hour of play, he suddenly collapsed. None of the kids recognized that he was in cardiac arrest. As his teammates scrambled to help, they called 911, and the dispatcher advised them to get an AED just in case. The device was conveniently located near the gym doors, but shockingly, it was never used.

Kim describes the situation: “He collapsed half an hour into the practice, and none of the kids recognized he was in cardiac arrest. Cory, a coach, turned him over, and he was turning blue. They called 911. The dispatcher told them to get an AED in case they needed it later, which was right at the gym doors. They put it beside him and never used it. It took five minutes for them to start CPR. The EMS got there about 10 minutes later, didn’t shock him until about 13 minutes in or something, and then they transported him to the hospital. We did CPR for another probably hour, and then he was declared deceased.”

This heartbreaking event highlighted the systemic failure that Kim later recognized: people don’t always know how to react in these critical moments. Despite the availability of AEDs in public spaces, few people are trained to use them or even recognize the signs of cardiac arrest in the first place.

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The Need for Education and Empowerment

In the aftermath of Brock’s death, Kim took steps to understand what went wrong. She requested the 911 call transcript, hoping to gain insight into the response. “After he died, I requested permission to have access to the 911 call. And when I reviewed it, I could see that there was systemic failure. It wasn’t about blaming one person. I could see overall that although there might be AEDs available, nobody knows how to recognize cardiac arrest or how to use an AED. They’re afraid. And so I was really focused on how do we try to improve this system so that we can save the next kid.”

One of the key areas Kim focuses on is educating both rural and urban communities on recognizing cardiac arrest and confidently using an AED. In rural areas, where ambulances and medical teams can take longer to arrive, knowing how to react quickly is crucial. Kim, who grew up on a farm, understands the challenges that rural communities face when it comes to healthcare access. “I’ve been on the farm and I know the rural inequities in healthcare because it takes so long for us to get ambulances out to farms. We need to educate our rural and urban people on how to recognize sudden cardiac arrest, how to look for signs and symptoms that someone might be experiencing, and how to react. We need to empower people to start CPR, do effective CPR, and deploy an AED without fear.”

A Life-Saving Message for Everyone

Kim’s efforts have sparked a larger conversation about the importance of AEDs and the critical role they play in saving lives. “When seconds matter, and someone’s life may hang in the balance, would you know how to operate an AED?” she asks. It’s a question that, for many, could be a matter of life or death. Brock’s tragic passing serves as a powerful reminder of how essential it is for communities to be equipped with the knowledge and tools to save lives.

Through her work with Project Brock, Kim is committed to educating people about the importance of AEDs and spreading awareness of how easy it can be to save a life with just a little bit of training. “It’s not about being perfect,” Kim says, “it’s about being prepared.” By spreading this life-saving knowledge, she hopes to prevent another family from going through the same heartbreak that she did.

For more information on AED education and how to get involved, visit Project Brock.