John Mack was a 17-year old junior at Binghamton High School in New York State whose life tragically ended on November 30, 2006. During a club lacrosse game, John collapsed in full cardiac arrest after a stick check to his chest. John suffered irreparable brain damage and was removed from life support three days later and became an organ donor. Following John’s death, a benefit was held by family
and friends. The money raised was used to purchase 21 AEDs – 21 was the number John wore on his lacrosse jersey. A local lacrosse tournament was also renamed for John – The John Mack Southern Tier Shoot Out. It’s a 2-day tournament held each February in Binghamton, New York. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the John Mack Foundation to be used for AEDs and training. As a qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, John Mack Foundation, Inc. makes funds available each year for John’s cause. In the years since John’s death, the Foundation has purchased and donated numerous AEDs for lacrosse clubs and non-profit organizations throughout the United States and Canada. The John Mack Foundation has also provided funds for CPR/AED training programs to a number of organizations. With the price of AEDs no longer an impediment, there is no reason these lifesaving units should not be at every sports event and community gathering place. The John Mack Foundation is dedicated to the prevention of sudden cardiac death through education and access to life-saving defibrillators. It is our mission to raise awareness of the need for AEDs, to provide AEDs and to impress upon organizations the need for CPR/AED-trained individuals who can provide emergency treatment to save lives. We beg you to never allow your loved ones to play any contact sport without basic life support – AEDs – and trained rescuers close enough to make a difference.
