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Christening A New Gym
Frantic Efforts
Setting Up A Fund
First In Nation
Keeping Greg's Spirit Alive

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It was the evening of December 2, 2000. My 15 year-old son, Greg, was playing basketball for Notre Dame High School against cross-town rival East Stroudsburg North High School in rural Pike County, Pennsylvania. It was the very first game in the school's brand new multi-million dollar gymnasium. Befitting the occasion, the game was on local television.

A strong, apparently healthy, 6-foot-3, 220-pound, Greg was a nervous tenth grade honor student at Notre Dame, playing in just his second varsity game. He got approximately ten minutes of playing time in the first half and performed well, sinking one of two foul shots. Walking off the court to the locker room, Greg was smiling. He exuded confidence.

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Two minutes later, a teammate and friend, ran out into the gym looking for my husband, John, and me. I remember thinking that maybe Greg had broken his hand or his arm. We were told however, that Greg was hurt; that he had fallen off the bench in the locker room. Although, as it turned out, Greg had suffered a full cardiac arrest, no one initially believed the situation was life threatening. I remember, as if it was yesterday, seeing my handsome son on the floor and then holding his head in my hands. His father was on the other side of him, I said, "breathe, Gregory, breathe!" He then tried to open his eyes and take a gasp of air but just couldn't do it. The people who were supposedly in charge did not start CPR right away because they thought Greg had a pulse. It was not until I started yelling that he was not breathing that CPR was started. It was all just a mess. Unfortunately, with all the money that was spent on the new school, it was not equipped to handle a medical emergency.

Two ambulances were eventually dispatched after calling 911. However, it took more than thirty minutes from the time Greg collapsed until a defibrillator was available.

Greg's heart stopped beating on the way to the hospital, and again the AED was used to try to get it going. He had arrived at the hospital without a heart beat and even though the emergency room staff worked so long and hard to revive our son, Gregory did not make it. Greg was a kid who was never sick; all he ever had suffered was a broken finger. We later learned that Greg had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart walls). He had never shown any signs of this illness and had three sports physicals a year.

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