At an Oklahoma City mixed martial arts gym, the parents of 18-year-old Zach Dolan gathered with family, friends and supporters to mark the installation of an automated external defibrillator for the fourth time since their son died March 13.
Zach suffered a heart attack while at another mixed martial arts gym in Edmond and passed away after spending several days in an induced coma at the Oklahoma Heart Hospital.
His family believes that if the gym he went to had had an AED, the outcome might have been different.
“The more I talk to people, the more I'm amazed at how many people don't know about AEDs and how they work or what they are,” said Jason Dolan, Zach's father.
Jason and his wife, Tami, wiped away tears as they expressed their gratitude. More than $17,000 was raised, including more than 50 percent from the Edmond Masonic Lodge and its Charitable Foundation. Fundraisers were held at various gyms.
A $2,000 donation has already been made to Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Zach's memory, organized by a group of current and former students of Zach's mother.
“My dad accomplished more in 18 years than I did in 49 years,” Zach's father said.
A total of 14 AEDs will be installed at no cost to gym owners in the metropolitan area, and the parents plan to meet with state lawmakers to require certain types of gyms to keep the life-saving devices on-hand at all times.
“If Zach could save someone's life, physically or emotionally, he would do it again,” Jason said. “100%. Because that's his soul.”
His parents are working toward the goal of eliminating all excuses and barriers to installing an AED.
Related:
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The legacy of the Mustang teenager who died in March lives on.
Zach Dolan suffered a heart attack while working out at a gym in Edmond about three months ago.
Now, his family is donating an automated external defibrillator (AED) to a local martial arts gym in his memory.
After Zach's death, approximately $20,000 was raised, all of which was used to purchase 14 AEDs.
On Sunday, his family donated a fourth AED to an Oklahoma City gym that provides services to emergency responders.
Zach's family and friends spoke about their memories of him and his sports career.
He was a senior at Mustang High School and was set to graduate in less than two weeks.
After the heart attack, he spent several days in an artificially induced coma at Oklahoma Heart Hospital before dying in March.
Those who knew him say the donation is a way to help others and keep Zach's name and memory a part of the sport he loved.
His father, Jason, said he was grateful to everyone who donated for his son.
“The more we talk about AEDs and how little people know about how they work and what they are, the more we realize how amazing it is, because when we got the call from Zach, he had worked a little bit with the fire department,” Jason Dolan said.
The family also plans to work with regulators on a proposed bill to install AEDs in small, independent gyms.
