St Brigid’s School in Andersons Bay had an AED unit installed on its campus yesterday after parent Jason McCook secured a donation for it.
It was the only defibrillator in the area and was a very useful tool for the community.
Mr McCook knew firsthand the importance of it.
His sons Cooper, 7, and Connor, 8, have had pacemakers since they were 2 years old.
The pacemakers were like "internal defibrillators" for the boys.
They would only need the defibrillator if the pacemakers gave out.
Cooper and Connor were like "two peas in a pod".
"They’re ... really good about doing it as a pair.
"So they both go get their pacemaker checks together, they get X-rays together if they can.
"It’s something they’ll share for life, probably."
"I was worried as they grew up thinking that sports and stuff would be a struggle.
"But Cooper’s into his cricket on a Saturday and basketball on a Sunday and if you didn’t tell people that he had a pacemaker, they’d never know."
They were "basketball mad", Mr McCook said.
They were huge fans of the Manawatu Jets - Mr McCook’s home team - who were sponsored by Property Brokers.
The Southern team at Property Brokers decided to sponsor the installation of an alarmed lock box, which cost more than $2500, to house the defibrillator at the school.
