Narooma family rallies to install outdoor defibrillators on South Coast after 17-year-old son's cardiac arrest

On the school oval, 17-year-old Tom was throwing a frisbee around with his mates when he suddenly collapsed.

The Year 12 student at Carroll College Broulee was the picture of health: he was captain of the Narooma Lions under 17s side and loved his footy, the gym, swimming, fishing, diving and playing golf.

Tom had no prior heart issues and there were no hereditary heart conditions in his family, but on that day, he went into cardiac arrest. His heart went into ventricular fibrillation and stopped beating. His teachers noticed his face was turning blue.

Tom's mum Rachael was later told that he didn't fall heavily, but landed on his friend's foot. At first, it seemed like he was joking around.

Luckily, five teachers were close by and a student ran to retrieve the Automated External Defibrillator (AED), kept inside the front office at the school.

"The only reason Tom is alive is because there was a defibrillator at the school," Rachael said.

CPR alone would not have saved Tom.

Tom had no pulse but the defibrillator restored his normal heartbeat and he soon became responsive and began breathing on his own.

Only 10 per cent of people who experience cardiac arrest survive, and many that do survive are left with brain injuries caused by a lack of oxygen.

Rachael said the teachers who helped save her son's life acted so quickly and professionally.

"Each one of them had a part to play and no one panicked."

Emergency services, who did an "amazing" job according to Tom's parents, received a "code blue", and police escorted the ambulance carrying Tom to Moruya Hospital.

He was then taken to St George Hospital in Sydney, where he spent the next two weeks in recovery.

During those weeks, the Haynes family including Tom's dad Phil and sister Jamie stayed by his side and were even visited by Sydney Swans captain Luke Parker.

Rachael said they started to reflect on the life-altering incident.

"We had so much time to think so we started researching cardiac arrests and defibrillators."

Phil came across Heart of the Nation, a charity established by original yellow Wiggle Greg Page who went into cardiac arrest onstage during a 2020 concert.

With the knowledge that Phil and Rachael may have lost their son without a defibrillator being available at the school, the family reached out to the charity.

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The next morning, they got a call from Greg Page.

After Tom had surgery to implant a defibrillator, the family headed back home to Narooma.

They noticed just how very few defibrillators were available in outdoor areas along the South Coast, and the ones that were available were not visible.

"We know some locations, shops and sporting facilities have them, however that is because we look for them wherever we go.

"In each location they're visible and often these facilities are only open during business hours. What happens if you suffer a cardiac arrest out of business hours?" Phil said.

The Haynes' family, along with Heart of the Nation, are hosting a charity event to raise $50,000 to install 16 community-accessible AEDs between Batemans Bay and Eden.

"We need more AEDs, in more locations on the Far South Coast and the ones that are available need to be more visible so people know where they are," the family said.

On Friday, October 6, a fundraising charity golf day will be held at Club Narooma, and will kick off with a demonstration of how to use a life-saving defibrillator.

There are limited spots left to join the three-person Ambrose event which begins at 10.45am, however all are welcome to watch Greg Page's live presentation, hear the Haynes family speak and join in the raffle and auction from 4.30pm.

"We have been overwhelmed with the generosity of the community there are some amazing auction items," Phil said.

"Every dollar counts and all funds raised will be allocated to the Far South Coast region."

Phil said he had come to a surprising roadblock in his efforts to install defibrillators. He said finding locations for them was proving to be unexpectedly difficult.

"I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to put their hand up. All we need is a wall in a prominent location," said Rachael.

Since the incident, Rachael has been on the lookout for them.

"Someone told me there is one installed in the middle of the Noosa National Park...there's one just outside of the pharmacy in Braidwood, you can see it from miles away."

"Ideally we want them located in a very visible locations in all our towns from Eden to Batemans Bay."

If you'd like to donate, head to narooma.raisely.com or learn more about the cause at heartofthenation.com.au.

"Whilst this has been a very traumatic experience for my family, out of bad will come good.

"A 10 per cent survival rate is far too low."