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Westport parents want more defibrillators in schools

Many Westport parents are asking their community to donate money to buy defibrillators for all of the town's schools. The request comes after a Staples High School senior nearly died during a soccer

News 12 Staff

Nov 12, 2015, 2:27 AM

Updated 3,311 days ago

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Many Westport parents are asking their community to donate money to buy defibrillators for all of the town's schools.
The request comes after a Staples High School senior nearly died during a soccer game two weeks ago. It was the second time in the last two years that a student in Westport was saved by a defibrillator.
Mark Gudis used his defibrillator to save the student on Oct. 23. The 17-year-old was a spectator at the soccer game when he collapsed.
Gudis happened to have a defibrillator in his car and used it on the student, saving his life. Gudis says he bought the device after a former Staples soccer player Preston Hirten died while playing soccer in college.
He says it was a team, not just him, who saved the teen's life. Two Staples parents immediately began administering CPR and were soon joined by the school's staff.
"I ran down and got the defibrillator out of the car and within 45 seconds, we had him hooked up," he says.
Parents are asking for donations to buy 50 defibrillators so that each school has one, as well as others to take on school trips.
The devices cost about $1,500 each.