Founder’s Story: Dale Wakasugi

A Life Saved—A Life Dedicated to Saving Others

In 1995, life seemed simple and good. At 36 years old, I was active, healthy, and proud of my athletic past as a college baseball player. I didn’t smoke, I stayed fit, and I felt invincible — until the day my heart stopped agreeing.

That year, in Seattle, I suffered a heart attack. The diagnosis: a blockage in the LAD artery — the one doctors call the “windowmaker.” It was a shock. I had no warning signs, no risk factors other than my family history. The blockage wasn’t severe enough for surgery, so I was sent home with a plan to eat better, exercise more, and stay on top of my health.

A few years later, work brought me to Minnesota — and with it came a fresh start. I saw my cardiologist faithfully and passed every stress test. I thought I had put the heart scare behind me. In 1998, I began refereeing high school basketball games — it kept me active and gave me a way to stay connected to young athletes and the game I loved.

Then came December 13, 2007 — the day everything changed.

Five minutes before the end of a game at Fridley High School, I collapsed. Sudden cardiac arrest. My heart stopped.

In that moment, life and death were separated by seconds — and by the presence of an AED.

Among those who rushed to my side was Lindsey Paradise, an 11th grader who had just learned CPR and how to use an AED in her health class three weeks earlier. Her courage and training brought me back. She — and that AED on the wall — gave me a second chance.

At the hospital, doctors placed three stents in my LAD artery. But just three days later, my heart attacked again. The stents had clotted, and I was rushed back in. Two more stents were inserted. Afterward, my cardiologist made a life-saving recommendation: to implant an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) — a device that would automatically shock my heart if it ever stopped again.

That Christmas, I went home with a scar on my chest and a new understanding of how fragile — and precious — life really is.

Just six weeks later, on February 4, 2008, I was back on the court. Not because I had to be, but because I wanted to prove that life after cardiac arrest could still be full — and meaningful.

Then, in 2010, it happened again. I collapsed during another game. This time, my ICD did its job. It fired instantly and brought me back — before anyone could even reach for an AED.

By 2017, life threw me another challenge: a stroke that left me temporarily weakened. But recovery, to me, has always been part of the mission. I fought back, determined not to let it silence my purpose.

In 2020, I underwent more angioplasty and stent work. My LAD artery is now permanently closed, but modern medicine — and the quick actions of people like Lindsey years ago — continue to give me life.

Today, I live with an ICD in my chest — a constant reminder that every heartbeat is borrowed time. But it’s also a reminder of my calling.

“It is my lifetime goal to raise awareness about cardiac arrest, heart disease, and the critical importance of AEDs and CPR. Because someone like you — someone who takes the time to learn — could be the reason another person survives.”

My life was saved by preparation, by courage, and by community. That’s why I’ve dedicated my life to building that same readiness everywhere — through education, training, and by making AEDs accessible wherever people live, work, and play.

Every AED installed is more than a device. It’s hope on the wall. It’s a heartbeat waiting to be saved.

AEDs & Accessories