Student group donates two defibrillators in memory of deceased friend

Heather Beasley (third from right), director of student involvement and the Krach Leadership Center, and Purdue fire chief Kevin Ply (second from right) accept a donated automated external defibrillator from Play for Jake student group president Emily Nowak (fourth from right). (Brian Huchel/University News Service) Download image

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Fire Chief Kevin Ply will accept two automated external defibrillators donated by a Purdue student group.

Ply will meet Thursday afternoon with Emily Nowak and members of the Play for Jake student group at Krach Leadership Center and the Armory to accept one AED at each location.

The student group is an extension of the Play for Jake Foundation in La Porte, Indiana. The foundation was created after 17-year-old high school student Jake West died from an undetected heart condition during football practice in 2013.

“These AEDs are life-saving, and I hope our donations will save lives in the future at Purdue,” Nowak said. “I would hate to see more people go through the pain that we all have gone through with losing Jake.”

Ply said one AED will be placed on the first floor of Krach, and the other will be placed on the drill floor of the armory. Each location sees a considerable amount of use and doesn’t have an AED accessible by the public.

Nowak said the group received many donations from concerned, local patrons and sold hot apple cider last fall to raise money for one AED. Troy Pflugner with AED manufacturer Cardiac Science then matched the club’s efforts and gave a second AED to the club to donate. 

The Play for Jake group’s goal is to raise awareness about undetected heart conditions and to raise money to purchase AEDs for use on campus in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. 

Ply said the push to place public access AEDs on campus began in 2004 after a 19-year-old student collapsed at the intersection of Tower Drive and Jischke Drive while jogging. Paramedics from the Purdue University Fire Department successfully resuscitated the student with defibrillation.

Since that time, 214 AEDs have been placed on the Purdue campus and farm properties. 

Writer: Brian L. Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu 

Sources: Kevin Ply, 765-494-6910, kmply@purdue.edu 

Emily Nowak, 219-851-5657, nowak19@purdue.edu