Deeply moved by Eric Paredes’ death, Erin asked her doctor to screen her son, Devin, a year-round athlete with no health issues. The screening not only revealed an Atrial Septal Defect, but a more ominous Coronary Artery Anomaly—the second leading cause of Sudden Cardiac Arrest usually discovered during autopsy.
As a competitive swimmer, Kaelie was used to pushing through tough practices. No one recognized that her being repeatedly winded with a tight chest and racing heart were warning signs of the Atrial Septal Defect our heart screening revealed. Watch Kaelie’s story now. Visit epsavealife.org for more information on how you can prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
Eric Paredes was only 15 when he died in 2009 from an undetected heart condition. San Diego lost nearly half a dozen teens last year to Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)—even more than those lost to drunk driving. This PSA features Eric’s actual parents and sister as they seek to show the pain caused by Sudden Cardiac Arrest. In this piece, a death certificate slowly being completed is used as the central focus to show how unexpected and devastating SCA can be.
The Eric Paredes Save A Life Foundation was fortunate to work with an incredible group of teens who helped create a TV spot to raise awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and the need to Screen Your Teen. Filmed at Steele Canyon High School, Eric’s alma mater, the energy and enthusiasm of our teens was inspiring and a fitting tribute to Eric, who was full of passion for life and helping others before he lost his life to SCA in 2009. Since then, Eric’s Foundation has screened more than 10,000 teens, identifying nearly 100 at risk.
