FSU students raise awareness about cardiac arrest after a student died in 2020

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - After one Florida State University student died suddenly in 2020, other students are coming together to raise money and awareness on how to help someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.

The university just received 51 new defibrillators in support of what is called the Tom Project. Tom was a student-athlete at FSU who died of sudden cardiac arrest.

So far, students have raised 200 thousand dollars for the tom project and they are encouraging the campus community to get regular heart screenings or EKGS.

Students unveiled a new AED machine and conducted free screenings Friday afternoon.

Tom’s mother, Cathy Idowu, says suddenly losing her son has been a painful experience, but seeing how students are rallying together in support of him has given her a renewed purpose.

“I am so proud that Tom was a part of this community and these were the kinds of students he was associated with. It makes me so proud that he was in a community of people that had a heart,” Cathy Idowu said. “These students, these FSU student community put more importance in establishing a legacy long-term, that would survive beyond their time here on this campus.”

According to the journal of athletic training, sudden cardiac arrest is actually the number one cause of death in student-athletes.

With the new arrival of AEDs, FSU will now have a total of 133 throughout campus. The goal is to have every building equipped with a defibrillator to hopefully save someone’s life in the future.

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