Family of Kevin Major donates gift

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The family of the late Kevin Major donated an automatic external defibrillator to Westfield's Amelia Park.

19 year old Kevin Major suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while he was swimming in Congamond lakes in Southwick last summer.

Because youth hockey meant so much to the young man, Kevin's parents presented Amelia Park in Westfield with a defibrillator Saturday.

“Knowing that this was Kevin’s second home, any rink that Kevin could skate on with brother Sean could play, we wanted to be sure going forward that something positive comes out of our situation,” said Kevin’s mom Susan Canning.

“Because of a tragedy to our son, hopefully someone else can be saved, there's no question about it,” Kevin’s dad Patrick Major told 22News.

During this afternoon's ceremony attended by many of the young people playing in the hockey tournament named in Kevin's honor, the AED became part of Amelia Park’s safety equipment.

“Honestly it's quite an honor that the major foundation picked us to be the first one to receive the AED,” said Executive Director Carole Appleton.

The sudden Cardiac arrest that took Kevin's life is far from rare. A group called the Parent Heart Watch organization estimates that NCA kills more than 300,000 Americans every year, often with no warning. And those stricken need to be treated immediately with a Defibrillator.