I'm fundraising for an AED in Googong!
Already raised enough for one in QBN and Jerrabomberra. I'm now going for one in Googong.My Achievements
Reached 25% of Fundraising Goal
Reached 50% of Fundraising Goal
Reached 75% of Fundraising Goal
Reached Fundraising Goal
Shared Fundraising Page
Reached 25% of Activity Goal
Reached 50% of Activity Goal
Reached 75% of Activity Goal
Completed Challenge
My Updates
One of the lucky ones
Monday 19th Jan
If a surgeon came to you and said that there was only a 10 per cent chance you’d survive an operation, you probably wouldn’t sign the consent form. But this is the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. And this is the odds my 16-year-old beat July 29, 2025.
An unexpected phone call change everything. It can turn an ordinary day into one of the worst days of your life.
“There has been an incident … Rory was involved. We’ve called an ambulance, but you probably want to get here”.
This was all we had to go on.
Rory was up at the local stadium playing basketball for the first time that night. My mind had purposely left out the part of the phone call that admitted they didn’t know if he was okay. I was convincing myself he'd fallen and broken a bone.
We rush to the car and in the distance can hear an ambulance siren.
Surely that’s not for him but driving toward the stadium the wailing ambulance rushes past the intersection we are paused at. It’s lights on and speeding up the road.
We pull into the carpark, and those flashing lights are just in front of the stadium. There are two ambulances and the footpath outside is littered with pale looking kids calling for their parents to come pick them up.
In the stadium Rory lays on the ground in the recovery position. He is surrounded by people. His eyes are rolling and his head making a circular fitting motion. He has drool coming from his mouth and at first glance it looks like he is having a seizure.
The people who had come to his aid telling of a horror story of where his heart had stopped and then he started to turn blue.
My mind eager to gain control soaked in every detail. It was like I had a superpower and could hear the faintest of whispers and can even remember the colours of the shirts people were wearing.
Sitting beside him I stroke his leg and gently said that I was there and that everything be okay. Up until this point he hadn’t spoken or come round and there was a tension in the air that maybe he had experienced some damage to his brain.
Soon after I started talking to him though he came to and started to say, mum. Rory and I have always had a strong connection, but this proved it. My words and presence seemed to be what he was waiting on.
His speech was slurred, and he was very confused. Getting into the ambulance he was asking the same question, what happened?
The emergency room doctors all agreed that without a defib machine he wouldn't be here.
He has been named, one hell of a lucky bastard but to appreciate this ‘luck’ you need to dance with the concept that we could’ve lost him. There were so many things that had to line up for his life to be saved.
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I was the 1 in 10
Monday 3rd Nov Only 1 in 10 Australians will survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest. I was that 1 in 10.Thank you to my Sponsors
$1,000
Blooms The Chemist Queanbeyan
$665
Blooms The Chemist Karabar
Proud to support your amazing efforts Rory!
$500
Heather And Sam White
Great job Rory!
$263.75
Tanvir Sahu Khan
You are an inspiration Rory. What an incredible cause. Go well Champ!
$250
Deb G
$211
Bram Kehl
Great job Rory, you are a great mate and was good to see you grow better and healthier each day during your recovery. Hope you reach your goal to help others and spread this message.
$211
Anonymous
$168.80
Kehl Family
Great work Rory!
$106.12
Raine Family
Great job Rory
$106.12
Jaxon Pw
You’re smashing goals Rory! We’re so proud of you.
$106.12
Evan Bentley
$106.12
Simon Brain
Good Job Rory Heard your story on ABC this morning
$106.12
Bozana Smith
$100
Sallyann Ducker
Congratulations on trying to get a new defibrilllator for Queanbeyan. This is a great initiative. All the best for your recovery.
$100
Rachel Harvey
What a great cause. Good luck with reaching your goal.
$100
Nat
Amazing efforts fundraising for an important cause.
$54.12
Jodi White
Well done Rory!!
$54.12
Heather
$54.12
Cohen S & Family
$54.12
Jodie W
Such a fantastic cause. Well done!
$54.12
Bec
Amazing thing to do
$54.12
Nicole Beetson
$54.12
Forbes Family
So glad you had people around you that were in a position to help. We can all play a part in saving the life of another human- some of that is about having the courage and composure to deal with a difficult situation and some of it is about having the equipment that allows us to do that. So glad that you are here to share your story and help increase the survival rate for others.
$54.12
Tahleah James
$54.12
Jabella Gerrard
$54.12
Simone Roxburgh
Amazing work Rory!
$54.12
Fiona P
Good on you Rory!
$54.12
Arlene Wilkinson
$54.12
Stephanie Leedham
$54.12
Anonymous
$54.12
Anonymous
$54.12
Michael P
$52.92
Helen B
Heard you on the radio. Well done Rory. I’m so glad you’re ok. 🌟
$50
Anonymous
A message from a medical responder in Sydney - Commending Rory's effort to save lives.
$50
Jacqui Hurditch
$50
Phyllis
$48.71
Ben Sandford
$33.15
Anonymous
$33.15
Catherine Schulz
$33.15
Sarah Pittman
Good luck my nephew.. your doing an amazing job advocating and raising awareness ❤
$27.81
Katie
Congratulations Rory on raising money for a really important cause.
$27.81
Jen M
$27.81
Annabelle C
You are amazing, Rory! Your efforts will change the outcome for so many.
$27.81
Anonymous
$27.81
Mary-grace Bingham
Great initiative and cause - thanks to you!
$27.81
Barbi Jones
$27.81
Vladimir Noveski
$27.81
Belinda Waters
$27.81
Veronica Edwards
$27.81
Emma W
$27.81
Lucy Tumanow-west
So glad you came through it! Great giving back!
$27.81
Anonymous
Great job heard your interview on abc Hope you reach your target today
$27.81
Anonymous
Well done on your challenge!
$27.81
Abigail Pittman
I am so very proud of you my beautiful boy. When you have a chance to potentially save a life, that’s what you do!
$27.81
Anonymous
$25
Isabella Collard
$25
Leila Kelly
$22.58
Mrs Fitt
Really great initiative Rory… hope you reach your goal. Keep it up.
$22.58
Sandra Van Aalst
Great initiative and all the best with your recovery
$22.58
Cathy Ringland
$22.58
Anonymous
$22.58
Anonymous
$11.65
Danii Worthington
♥️
$10
Leah Uttley
Great job! Turning something unfortunate into a way to help others- well done!
$10
What a great initiative, Rory! All the best for your recovery. 😊