6 days ago
Inspired by a life saved, Kerry community acts to save more by installing new defibrillator
It was in April of this year when 24-year-old Seán Óg O'Sullivan – a resident of the Whitebridge estate – suffered a shocking and sudden cardiac arrest at his home. Thanks to the quick thinking of his dad, Sean, and his younger brother Gary though, Seán Óg's life was saved with the uo perforning life-saving CPR on Seán Óg until paramedics arrived 10 minutes later.
Being a fit, healthy 6'1' non-smoker with no known medical history, the sudden cardiac arrest of someone so young shocked the local community and highlighted that something like this can happen to anybody, as well highlighting the importance of CPR training.
Since then, the Whitebridge community have rallied together to fundraise for a publicly accessible defibrillator. Stepping in to assist, The Heights Hotel generously covered the full cost of the defibrillator and its outdoor heated cabinet, now installed at the heart of the estate.
The campaign, led by Seán Óg's brother Gary O'Sullivan also generated over €4,600 through a GoFundMe effort. With the defibrillator now in place, the remaining funds will be split equally among three vital causes:
- Killarney Cardiac First Response Unit
- The Michael Lenihan Heartsafe Campaign
- Brú Columbanus, Cork University Hospital
Collette Andre O'Riordan, Managing Director of The Heights Hotel, recently joined local residents to visit the installed device. She expressed her pride in supporting the effort and announced the hotel's commitment to provide space and resources for community CPR and First Aid training sessions.
Additionally, The Heights Hotel will host an awareness coffee morning in the near future to raise both funds and understanding around emergency response and preparedness.
'We are delighted to have been able to support such an important community led project,' said Collette Andre O'Riordan. 'The swift response from local residents shows the power of community spirit. We hope this inspires others across Killarney, Kerry, and beyond to prepare and train, because it truly can save lives.'
The Heights Hotel added that it remains deeply committed to grassroots efforts that strengthen community resilience and looks forward to welcoming local residents to training sessions and awareness events in the months ahead.
