Craig Cunningham's brother riding 2,600 km to raise awareness for cardiac arrest
To show his gratitude to the doctors, surgeons and emergency medical personnel that saved his brother’s life with relentless and heroic rescue efforts, Ryan Cunningham is taking a different approach.
He will soon embark on a 2,650-km journey from Castlegar, British Columbia to Tucson, Arizona on what he’s calling the “Pushing the Envelope Trek to Fight Cardiac Arrest.” His goal to raise $50,000 for the Craig Cunningham All Heart Foundation in a fundraising effort for the development of an App that will be able to predict when a person is at risk.
It was almost two years ago that Ryan’s brother, Craig, collapsed and went into cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation before the start of an AHL game while playing professional hockey with the Tucson Roadrunners. Incredible life-saving efforts revived Craig, but doctors were eventually forced to amputate his left lower leg due to infection, ending his playing career.
Partnering with Dr. Zain Khapley, the surgeon that saved his life, Craig soon launched his foundation to raise awareness and advance the research technology aimed at preventing others from suffering Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
Beginning on Aug. 3 and 60 km north from the U.S. border, Ryan’s trek will take him through Washington, Montana, Idaho and Utah before reaching Arizona. He will ride through Phoenix before completing the estimated 143-hour journey in Tucson, where Craig works as a scout for the Arizona Coyotes and continues with his initiative.
Ryan has set up a Facebook page and GoFundMe account, which has raised more than $17,000 at the time of this writing.
