Toronto mother pushes for mandatory AEDs in Ontario schools after son's fatal cardiac arrest

Ben Stanton was 14, healthy, and active—a competitive soccer player who captained his school's varsity volleyball team. He collapsed during lunch and was initially mistaken for having an allergic reaction. He died of sudden cardiac arrest.

Now his mother, Tricia Stanton of Toronto, is pushing for every Ontario school to have up-to-date automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and train staff and students to recognize cardiac arrest and respond immediately. She is raising awareness on World Restart a Heart Day, Friday, Oct. 16.

"His first word was ball," Stanton said. "He was the type of kid who would go out and collect people in the neighbourhood to play a game because he needed the people. He was a beautiful, wonderful, loving soul."

Cardiac arrest is not a heart attack. "It's when the heart suddenly, unexpectedly stops beating. It's almost like an electrical problem where the breaker switch to your heart is switched off, and then your heart can no longer pump blood to the brain and other vital organs," explained Dr. Lesley James, Heart & Stroke Director of Health Systems and Policy in Ontario.

Over 20,000 cardiac arrests occur annually in Canada. Many happen in schools, affecting not just students but teachers and visitors. The elderly are not the only ones at risk—anyone at any age can experience cardiac arrest.

A critical problem: many AEDs in schools have expired, and current preparedness measures are not enough to ensure safety. Ambulances typically take 10 to 15 minutes to arrive. Bystanders equipped with working AEDs and CPR knowledge could save lives while waiting.

Dr. James is advocating alongside Stanton for training on recognizing cardiac arrest signs, ensuring AEDs are current, and expanding CPR knowledge across school staff and students. The gap between symptom and emergency response—minutes that often determine survival—makes this urgent.