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HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — An automated external defibrillator, or AED, saved a man’s life at Pole Green Park in Hanover County during a softball game.
Jack Mullikin’s wife Sally said he is the epitome of health — which made his heart attack all the more shocking. But thanks to the AED in Pole Green Park, he’s still here today.
“I’m numb — I am still numb,” Sally said.
She got a call that her husband had a massive heart attack and that she needed to get to the hospital.
“[They said] ‘Jack is in the ambulance, he is on the way to regional — you need to get there now,’” she said of that phone call.
It was when Jack went into the dugout and sat down that he thought he was experiencing heat stroke. Within the next few minutes, he’d stopped breathing, 911 had been called, CPR was being performed and the AED was being rushed onto the field.
Jack was shocked with an AED twice — once on the field and once again before going into surgery. After having five stints put in his heart and spending six days at the hospital, he’s back home.
“He was extremely lucky to be where he was, at the right time, with that AED with people who knew how to use it,” Sally said.
At 74, he’s played softball for 40 years — eight on Hanover’s Senior Softball team. The AED has been in Pole Green Park for less than four months, all paid for by donations to the Eastern Hanover Volunteer Fire Department.
Volunteer firefighter David Long, who’s been serving for almost 50 years, spearheaded getting the AED near the ballparks and having all the board members of the softball team be AED and CPR-certified this past year. He was at the game that night, coaching on third base.
While they’re still coming to terms with what happened, it’s clear to the Mullikins why Jack is still here.
“He’s alive not only because of the AED, but because of his friends and Hanover,” Sally said.
Sally said Jack’s been exercising and hopes to get back to softball, but for now, they’re taking it day by day. She added that she’s now looking into legislation that will make AEDs more accessible.
https://www.wric.com/community/positively-richmond/he-was-extremely-lucky-wife-reacts-after-husband-saved-by-aed-in-hanovers-pole-green-park/
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