PulsePoint app finds nearest AED, Arrowhead family hopes you download it

HARTLAND, Wis. - It could happen to anyone. That's the message from the 16-year-old who collapsed last winter watching a basketball game with friends, suffering sudden cardiac arrest.

"This year, I played football, basketball, too," said Ty Wall.

Wall is used to seeing footage of himself playing high school sports, but he hadn't seen one clip from Feb. 17 until now. 

"It's kinda crazy," said Wall.

Wall was just a spectator, cheering from the stands as Arrowhead took on Catholic Memorial.

"All of the sudden, it just happened," said Wall. "Everything went black."

Ty Wall

His heart stopped. Doctors would later tell the six-foot-five athlete he suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

"I was staying pretty healthy," said Wall. "It's pretty surprising that it happened."

Wall's mom, Lisa, was there when her son went limp.

"He was in the right place at the right time," said Lisa Cunningham-Wall.

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School staff quickly grabbed an AED. 

The family says everyone should download the PulsePoint app. It uses your location and tells you where the nearest AED is.

AED

Wall has no family history of cardiac issues ad exercises regularly. That made it even more frightening for his mother.

"The only way you can detect anything like this is to do an EKG," said Cunningham-Wall.

Now, Wall will have a pacemaker inside his chest for at least seven years. He hopes all student-athletes practice CPR and learn how to use AEDs beyond what's taught in school. It saved his life.

"I'm just thankful for everyone that helped me in that situation and all my friends, too," said Wall.

Medical event at Arrowhead High School boys basketball game on Feb. 17

Wall got an infection after the pacemaker went in. So in May, doctors had to remove it and put another one in.

He hopes to be back on the court soon.