A Heart of Gold

Gerry Bram, is a dramatic example of how AEDs save lives. The former Philadelphia public league and college football referee was officiating a game at Syracuse University on September 29, 2001 when he collapsed and his heart stopped beating. Fortunately, the University had acquired a defibrillator two months earlier. Bram was resuscitated on the field immediately, taken to a hospital, and avoided any permanent damage from his attack. He now has a miniature AED implanted in his heart.

At their first Annual Memorial Golf Outing on October 3, 2005, Toni Pellegrini and Lorraine Sikora presented Savino Foundation Board Member Gerry Bram with the Heart of Gold award. Gerry worked tirelessly to secure many golf outing sponsors, golfers and hundreds of dollars in prizes for the event.

The Savino Foundation is honored that Gerry Bram is a member of their Board of Directors. He serves as a powerful reminder that AEDs do save lives and that tragedy does not have to follow a sudden cardiac arrest event.

More Survivor Stories

The Savino Foundation continuously tracks news stories to determine if Automated External Defibrillators were successfully used to save a life. The following news stories have been located. They truly demonstrate that AEDs, if they are nearby and deployed can mean the difference between life and death. If you learn about an AED Save, please contact us at savinofoundation@aol.com and provide the news link to the story.

CPR, AED save man who collapsed after heart attack at the gym - 6/02/10

Gym Teacher and Nurse Honored for Saving Student's Life - 5/26/10

Teacher Credited With Saving Collapsed Student - 5/24/10

Teacher Saves Child Who Collapses at School - 5/13/10

Middle School Student Revived After Collapsing in Gym - 5/13/10

Boston Marathon Runner Collapses-Revived with AED - 4/20/10

Gym Defibrillator Saves Man's Life - 4/13/10

Warminster Fire Chief Saves Coach at Kids' Basketball Game - 4/06/09

Defibrillator Revives Cardiac Arrest Victim - 3/31/10

College of Charleston Students Save Runner's Life with AED - 3/28/09

nEW Jersey Firefighter Saved by AED - 3/23/10

AED Saves Student's Life - 3/18/10

AED Saves Hockey Player's Life - March, 2010

School's AED Saves Life of Timber Creek Sophomore - 3/11/10

Staff use AED to Save School Principal - 3/11/10

Rescued from the Clutches of Death-Saved by an AED - 3/07/10

Student Saved by AED after Football Practice Collapse - 3/03/10

Trainer Reacts Quickly When Soccer Player Collapses - 3/03/10

Nurse and Defibrillator Credited for Saving Student's Life - 2/19/10

AED & Good Samaritans Save Pregnant Mom - 2/09/10

High School Student's Life Saved - 2/04/10

UWL Student Saves Fellow Student's Life - 2/02/10

El Cerrito Basketball Teen Basketball Player Stable After Collapse - 2/02/10

Man at Bar Mitzvah Saves Life with Automated External Defibrillator Again - 1/30/10

Bentonville Player Home After Collapsing During Practice - 1/21/10

AED Helped Save a Parkview Athlete - 1/19/10

Little Rock Athlete's Life Saved by AED - 1/19/10

Frazee Teen Recovers from Cardiac Arrest - 1/18/10

Massachusetts Hockey Player's Life Saved by Off-Duty Nurse and Firefighters - 1/14/10

Deputies Save Teens Life with an AED - 12/28/09
< Basketball Buddies are Lifesavers - 12/19/09

Hero Teacher Saved Student - 12/2009

Age 14-Manzano High School Student Brought Back to Life - 12/09

Man who installed arena defibrillator needed it - 11/28/09

Denver Radio Talk Show Host Saves Life with AED - 11/26/09

Teen Who Had Heart Attack to Leave Hospital Today - 11/23/09

Quick thinking, new skills save stricken colleague - 11/19/09

Tampa Paramedics at Right Place, at Right Time to Save Collapsed Teen - 11/17/09

Teen's Life Saved Thanks to Defibrillator - 11/12/09

Officers help restart boy's heart - 11/02/09

AED, Bystanders Save Local Man's Life - 11/02/09

Boy's Life Saved with Help of AED - October, 2009

AED Saves Aurora University Basketball Player - 10/21/09

Quick Action Saves Man in Cardiac Arrest at YMCA - 10/13/09

Deputy Saves his Own Pastor's Life - 10/13/09

High School Students & Trainer Save Joggers Life - October, 2009

Pair Saves Tennis Player - September, 2009

Vol Hoopster Collapsed and Saved with an AED - 9/28/09

Mackenzie Student Saves a Life During Lunch - 9/27/09

AED Saves Howe Athlete's Life - 9/18/09

Worker at AHS Gym Gets High Voltage Shock - 9/15/09

Greensburg Neighborhood Saves Womans Life with AED - 9/09/09

Indiana-Purdue University to honor Life-Saving Efforts - 8/23/09

Cary High Football Player Collapses, Is Revived with AED - 8/15/09

Lightening Strikes Football Player, CPR & AED Saves his Life - 8/12/09

Woman's Life Saved with AED at a Mall - 8/05/09

Minnesota Teens Survive Cardiac Arrest - 7/30/09

Teen Swimmer recovering from Cardiac Arrest - 7/07/09

Quick action jump-starts life at Bartlett recreation center - 6/29/09

Teacher at Hazen High saves student with defibrillator - 6/17/09

Coaches bring Wayzata football player 'back to life' - 6/15/09

Man Alive after Cardiac Death Meets Lifesaver - 6/06/09

Teacher Saves Student With CPR - 6/04/09

AED Saves Franklin Township Student - 6/04/09

Local Athlete Hospitalized Following Collapse, Later Upgraded to Fair Condition - 6/02/09

Quick Action and one very necessary Tool Save Woman's Life - 6/01/09

Heart-stopping experience: Player collapses, recovers - 5/19/09

Man Saves Life One Day After CPR Training - 5/13/09

Doniphan-Trumbull student in critical condition after track practice collapse - 5/12/09

Ellis Teacher Saves Student's Life with CPR - 5/09

School Nurse Dies after Saving Coach's Life - 4/28/09

Resolved that the Beat Go On - 4/25/09

Mall Security & Doctor Save Elderly Man's Life - 4/22/09

Every high school needs a defibrillator such as the one that saved a Cienega student - 4/20/09

Donated Defibrillator Used Quickly - 4/20/09

Portable Defibrillator Saves Teen's LIfe - 4/15/09

Dixon student employees save heart attack victim - 4/08/09

Eisenhower Middle School Staff Save Student - 4/08/09

North Carolina State Representative Saved by an AED - 4/02/09

Woman Saved by AED; Dead for 43 Minutes - 4/01/09

Teamwork saves man's life at fitness center - 3/25/09

AED Save on Frontier Airlines Flight - 3/06/09

Defibrillator Saves Man's Life - 2/26/09

Defibrillator used on High School Student - 2/17/09

Defibrillator champ is saved by one himself - 2/13/09

Virginia Teacher Saved by AED, Former Student - 2/10/09

At Gym, Student and Coach Save Alum - 2/10/09

CPR/AED Saves Life of Robinson Student - 1/22/09

Referee's Close Call; Spectators Save His Life -1-6-09

Store Manager Saves a Life with an AED -12-27-08

Pickup Basketball Players Save Teammate's Life with Defibrillator -12-14-08

Defibrillator and quick action at East Hampton High School saves life of referee -12-5-08

Fast Actions Saves Student's Life -12-1-08

CPR Experience Makes an Impression on Dentist - 12/08

Student's CPR Training Saves Teacher -11-13-08

Defibrillator restarts karate student's heart -11-11-08

Teachers and Principal Save Boy With Defibrillator - 11/8/08

AED Saves a Life at Greensboro Parish - 11/5/08

11-Year-Old Girl Collapses In School; Principal Gives CPR -10-22-08

Local parents save ref's life - 10/23/08

Boy Brought Back from Death after Cardiac Arrest - 10/18/08

Fast action, quick jolts save life of coach

School's defibrillator saves Willis student - 9/5/08

Football Player Speaks Out After Collapse - 9/6/08

Teacher and Nurse Saves Student – 10/3/08

Police revive Greencastle swimmer - 8/26/08

Trainer's CPR saves child's life – 8/20/08

Lamar High player revived with defibrillator after collapse – 8/4/08

Fast thinking likely saved teen – 8/5/08

Even if it fails, lifesaving skills give victims a chance

Group Wants Mandatory CPR Classes In Schools-Teen Helps Save 63-Year-Old's Life

Aurora employees bring co-worker back to life - 7/15/08

Local Scoutmaster lends lifesaving hand - 7/12/08

Local physician receives civilian lifesaver award - 7/8/08

AEDs at Middleburg Heights community center save lives

Off-duty officer, firefighter revive man at fields

School Defibrillator Saves Grandmother's Life

Girl Saves boy’s life with CPR after his heart stopped - 5/7/08

Quick response saves student's life - 4/30/08

Staff saves teen after collapse at Dad's job - 4/25/08 Defibrillator helps save Colby teacher's life - 4/21/08

Gibbons Lacrosse Player's Life Saved by Defibrillator - 4/19/08

AED Donated After Tragedy Saves Student's Life - 4/7/08

Student helps save a classmate's life - 4/07/08

Defibrillator policy essential; Man treated after collapsing at Bellaire event - 4/5/08

Defibrillator Used To Revive Softball Player - 4/1/08

USF pitcher recovers after heart stopped - 4/1/08

School's readiness saves boy's life - 3/3/08

Monticello athlete out of hospital after cardiac arrest - 2/29/08

BYU student shares life-after-death experience - 2/29/08

Former Harlanite helps save life of student who collapsed - 1/17/08

Student Recovers after Collapsing at School

Student's crisis a reminder of lifesaving measures

Teachers Save Student's Life

Girl saves ref's life – 12/18/07

College athlete's heart attack brings cardiac concern to light – 11/22/07

Davison school staffers recognized for saving student's life - 10/14/2007

Student's life saved by quick response during class

Joe Heskett has sudden heart surgery - 10/3/07

Teen Recovers After Collapsing On Basketball Court

Iowa Basketball Player Revived With Defibrillator

Saved Student Pushes for AEDs

Latest Sudden Cardiac Death Research and Related Articles

Teen Athletes Need Heart Screenings, Study Suggests - 11/30/09

Knowing Family Health May Prevent Athlete Deaths -11/27/09

Young Athletes Need Dual Screening Tests for Heart Defects - 11/15/09

Determining the Best Way to Prevent Sudden Death in Athletes - 11/06/09

Texas schools screen for heart problems, with shocking results - 6/05/09

How can sudden cardiac death be prevented in young adults? - 6/01/09

Debate over heart screenings refuses to go away - 5/29/09

Families Of Sudden Unexplained Death Victims Should Receive Comprehensive Cardiogenetic Testing - 5/26/09

Disney To Install Defibrillators at Some of Resort's Thrill Rides – 1/10/09

Enlarged heart biggest cause of sudden death in young athletes; experts want more screening – 11/6/07

Experts Tie Enlarged Heart, Sudden Death -11/7/07

Enlarged heart chief cause of athletes' sudden death - 11-6-07

Designed to deliver life-saving jolts, devices are too often hidden

Fallen PRP player's mother still wonders 'why?'

Russian's death sends chill through hockey world

FIFA extends compulsory heart testing program Let’s Improve Medical Screening

CPR Can Save a Life

Young Athletes Who were Suddenly Stricken

Do More to Protect Our Children

Preventing sports tragedies

Developing Successful Public Access Defibrillator Programs

The New Face of CPR

How Workplace Safety Training Programs and Corporate AED Programs Can Save Lives and Liability Claim

DEFIBRILLATORS - More life-savers around, but some afraid to use them

With defibrillators close, more lives saved

Heart of the Matter - AEDs 'Absolutely Necessary' To Have In Schools - 7/5/08

Study Recommends All Sports Players To Be Screened For Heart Defect

State Laws on Heart Attacks, Cardiac Arrest & Defibrillators Stealthy, deadly condition stalks student athletes

Protecting Athletes and their Hearts

CPR training must be taught in high school

Weak hearts a danger for athletes

When Sudden Death Strikes

6th Grade Students to undergo heart tests

Unified national effort needed to save lives by increasing use of CPR

Sudden Death in Athletes

A tragic death on the track leaves many questions

Youth heart ailments are target