Thursday, June 2nd, will be a very special day for Aidan’s Heart Foundation as they will host for the first time a “Youth-Led Hands-Only CPR + AED Community Training” event. In collaboration with the Chester County Hospital and the Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center, Aidan’s Heart Foundation will host two FREE training sessions for parents, teachers, coaches, and other community members interested in learning how to save a life using CPR and AED skills. This event will be hosted by three Heart Hero CPR trainers including Cameron Donovan, Teigan Brown, and Jack O’Connell.
Here at Aidan’s Heart Foundation, we take extensive pride in our volunteers and choose to use this opportunity to highlight each of the three young Heart Hero CPR trainers who will be leading our event on June 2nd.
Our second installment will feature TEIGAN BROWN.
When the 6th grade class at Marsh Creek Elementary School hosted Christy Silva, Aidan’s Mother and Board President of Aidan’s Heart Foundation, who introduced the lifesaving procedures of CPR and AED, the soon to be sophomore at Muhlenberg College, originally from Downingtown (PA), found an unexpected new meaning and purpose in life.
As a result of Christy’s presentation, the soon to be sophomore at Muhlenberg College, originally from Downingtown (PA), found an unexpected new meaning and purpose in life. Eleven-year-old Teigan proceeded to approach the Board President, introduce herself, and immediately offered her time, service, and dedication to Aidan’s Heart Foundation. Enthusiastically, Teigan shared “I want to help. I want to be involved.” Little did anyone know at the time that Aidan’s Heart Foundation would be blessed with a faithful, devoted youth volunteer.
While Teigan was working on honing her skills and teaching others the importance of CPR and AED, her life would take a drastic turn just three years after beginning her volunteering with Aidan’s Heart Foundation. At the tender age of 14, the hours she spent learning, teaching, and spreading awareness of CPR would soon become a reality in a way she would have never imagined. During the summer before her freshman year of high school, Teigan’s seven-year-old brother, Taggy, unexpectedly collapsed in their home. While he did not experience Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), he did require CPR. For Teigan, being able to recognize that, in that moment, her own little brother was in dire need of the lifesaving skills she’d taught hundreds of others how to use, and see them performed before her own eyes, by people whom she’d just recently taught was nothing short of overwhelming. While this innocent, loving, and joyful young boy passed away later in the day, he survived the trip to the hospital all because of Teigan and her family’s quick thinking, bravery, calmness under pressure, and comprehensive CPR training.
During this time, Teigan admitted to wanting to throw in the towel, quit, and walk away from the passion project she spent the last three years astutely learning and teaching. However, thoroughly mature beyond her years, Teigan made the decision to reaffirm her lifelong commitment to educate as many people as possible about the importance of CPR and AED. As a result, she was able to channel her grief, loss, and despair, towards making a positive difference in her community, while serving her fellow peers in the best way she could—a true testament to her immeasurable bravery and boundless resiliency.
Teigan admitted that she continues to be motivated day in and day out by the peace of knowing that she and her family did everything they could for Taggy, during his greatest time of need. This is the same feeling of peacefulness that she wishes for others to feel should they ever find themselves in a similar situation.
Every year for the past eight years, Teigan returns to Marsh Creek Elementary to assist Aidan’s Heart Foundation in their ongoing mission. She is hoping to have the same impact on the 6th graders of today, that Christy had on her many years prior. She believes that if she can touch the life of just one student, if she can persuade that one student to learn how to properly perform CPR and AED, her work will be “all worth it.” She adds, “that could be one extra life saved from SCA."
In addition to her work with Aidan’s Heart Foundation, Teigan teaches CPR to the local boy and girl scout chapters and has been a cornerstone in Muhlenberg’s push to spread awareness about CPR on campus. Through her many hours of teaching Teigan has touched the lives of nearly 10,000 individuals, all in a way of honoring her brother.
While the Downingtown Stem Graduate and current Neuroscience major has never been one to seek the spotlight, this past January (2022) she graciously accepted the Heroes for Young Hearts 2022 National Youth Advocacy Champion award. This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate a continuous commitment in their local community to raise awareness of SCA—a reward that Teigan fittingly deserves.
This young woman plans to remain a part of Aidan’s Heart Foundation for as long as possible. She wisely relayed that you “never forget your roots.” She will be the first to admit that her interest in CPR, as well as the many hours she has spent teaching others, would not have been possible without Christy’s support, and inspiration. Teigan described Christy as a “gift and a blessing.” Due to Christy’s belief in her, Teigan has touched thousands of lives.
As Teigan continues along this unexpected and often unexplainable journey we call life, she sees herself pursuing a master’s degree while searching for a career that keeps her “busy, remains ever-changing, and never consists of a dull moment.” Although unsure of what shape this particular career will present itself, she is determined to find a career that allows her to serve others, and help those in need, all while honoring her beloved brother in the process.
Teigan will be on the mats assisting in the teaching of CPR and AED on June 2nd at the Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center. Please stop by to say hello and introduce yourself while thanking Teigan for her relentless contributions to Aidan’s Heart Foundation and the thousands of lives she has touched in the process.