Hero Climbs Everest to Install Defibrillator—Three Weeks Later, It Saves a Teen
When retired paramedic Gavin Woodward summited Everest to install the world’s highest AED (automated external defibrillator) at Base Camp, critics called it a publicity stunt. But just 21 days later, the device revived 17-year-old Nepali porter Kami Rita after a sudden cardiac arrest at 17,600 feet.
The rescue operation required:
⚡ 45 minutes of continuous shocks in -20°F temps
🏔️ Sherpa teams relay-carrying oxygen tanks
💓 Woodward guiding ER doctors via satellite phone
“Every ounce of effort was worth it,” says Woodward, whose nonprofit plans AED installations on Kilimanjaro and Denali next. The teen has fully recovered and now trains as a mountain safety advocate.
