Florida Teen Survives Cardiac Arrest Thanks to AED and School Staff

Teen's Cardiac Arrest and Survival

• 📌 A 13-year-old student, Jonathan Jackson, experienced sudden cardiac arrest during gym class at Cruz Lake Middle School.
• ⚡ Staff members quickly administered CPR and used an AED to shock him three times, successfully restoring his heart rhythm.
• 🏥 Jonathan was hospitalized for 4 days, underwent a heart ablation, and was diagnosed with an extra electrical passageway causing heart arrhythmias.

Importance of AEDs and Training

• 💔 Jonathan's mother emphasized that without the AED and the staff's rapid response, her son likely would not have survived, highlighting the critical role of AEDs.
• 📈 The incident underscores the effectiveness of school-wide cardiac emergency response plans and AED programs.
• 🎓 Jonathan now understands the vital importance of AEDs, having previously overlooked them before his life-threatening event.

Legislation and Future Prevention

• ✅ Pasco County Schools has a district-wide AED program, including annual drills, ensuring staff response times are under 3 minutes.
• 📜 The nonprofit Who We Play For helped pass legislation requiring all Florida schools to have AEDs and emergency action plans for cardiac emergencies.
• 🩺 Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, Florida high school athletes will be required to undergo an EKG before participating in sports, a measure Jonathan's mom supports for all children.