Advocate Spotlight: Tony Lindeman

Tony Lindeman (right) is pictured with Cliff Rosenberger, who was speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives when House Bill 113 passed requiring CPR/AED training as a prerequisite for high school graduation in the state. (Courtesy of Tony Lindeman)

Survivor-turned-advocate helps Ohio schools secure funding for CPR education

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By Tony Lindeman, Midwest

In 2012, while running my eighth marathon, I collapsed. Thankfully, there were two nurses running nearby who immediately administered CPR. Shortly afterward, paramedics arrived and deployed an automated external defibrillator (AED).

I had suffered a cardiac arrest, and the nurses and paramedics saved my life.

While recovering, I researched cardiac arrest and learned that without immediate intervention, the chances of survival are slim. I read about a young man who learned CPR in high school and saved a construction worker’s life.

I called my state representative and discovered that Ohio lawmakers were working on House Bill 113, which would require students in grades 9 through 12 to learn Hands-Only CPR and how to use an AED before graduation.

I joined my state representative and the American Heart Association in advocating and testifying in support of the bill, which became law in June 2016.

Unfortunately, there was no funding attached, and many schools were unable to implement the CPR/AED training.

Recently, the AHA advocated for funding, and I joined the fight again and testified before the House and Senate. Ultimately, we secured funding. Now, hundreds of thousands of high school students across Ohio will learn the lifesaving skill of CPR.