Windsor Father Fights for School Defibrillators After Son’s Death

This article looks at Windsor father Jay Rivera’s push for funding automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and training in Connecticut schools. Rivera’s son Eli died from sudden cardiac arrest during football practice, and now advocates want state lawmakers to act fast to protect students statewide.

Connecticut towns respond to AED funding push

In Windsor, Jay Rivera says time is everything when a student collapses on a field. Eli’s death drives home the need for immediate access to defibrillators in every school.

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This case has become a rallying point for a broader effort across Connecticut. The goal: make sure AEDs and staff training exist wherever kids learn and play.

Across Connecticut—cities and towns like Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Norwalk, Waterbury, Danbury, and Greenwich—advocates insist seconds count in cardiac emergencies. Every school, they say, should be ready to respond in an instant.

State law already requires districts to have plans for sudden cardiac arrest and to budget for AEDs and training. Still, some districts haven’t built out full programs yet, which feels frustrating for families who know what’s at stake.

Officials with the American Heart Association (AHA) and several affected families are urging state legislators to add funding. They want help for districts to buy AEDs, replace old parts, and train staff.

Advocates keep repeating the same message: a modest investment now could save lives and spare families heartbreak—from East Hartford and Middletown to New Britain and Norwich. Isn’t that worth it?

Funding requests and the CT budget landscape

Advocates want $300,000 in the next CT budget to help pay for AEDs, their upkeep, and training school staff to use them. They say it’s a modest sum, especially when you consider how quickly a defibrillator needs to be used if someone’s going to survive.

Governor Ned Lamont’s proposals—and the plans from legislative leaders—don’t include this funding right now. The push for AEDs comes as lawmakers try to hash out changes to the two-year budget, racing against a May 6 deadline for major revisions.

Supporters feel the window to act is closing fast. They highlight how practical it is to have AEDs in places like elementary schools in Shelton and Bloomfield, or high schools in Glastonbury and Groton.

Senator Jason Perillo, a Republican and former ambulance chief, is backing the funding. He calls AEDs the “biggest life-saving tool” for cardiac arrest and points out that if you use a defibrillator in the first minute, “nine out of ten individuals” survive.

Rivera and other advocates keep stressing this: a small investment from the state could save lives in districts like Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury, and Danbury.

The proposal would pay for AEDs, replacement parts, and staff training in schools across Connecticut.
CT law says districts need an emergency-response plan for cardiac events and should budget for AEDs, but some districts still have gaps.
Advocates say quick access to AEDs makes a huge difference in sudden cardiac arrest outcomes.
Lawmakers are weighing the budget as the May 6 deadline approaches.
Senator Perillo sees the issue as a clear life-saving step with strong bipartisan support.

Families in Milford, Bridgeport, Stamford, and Norwalk are watching. Will Connecticut leaders take this rare opportunity to protect students from tragedy with a relatively small investment?

For parents, teachers, and coaches across the state—including those in Windsor, West Hartford, and Southington—the request is simple: every campus should have an AED and trained staff. If lawmakers step up, Connecticut could finally see faster, wider access to these life-saving tools, and maybe, just maybe, start turning the trend toward something a little more hopeful for students from East Lyme to Waterford.

Here is the source article for this story: Windsor father turns loss into push for defibrillators in schools

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