October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness month and Michael Brindley’s birthday month. Michael, a Hinsdale Central student, tragically died of SCA in 2016 at the age of 16. Michael loved all sports and wanted to pursue a career as a sports announcer or journalist.
He created a blog called just1mike after the ESPN Mike and Mike sports show. After his death, Michael’s parents founded the just1mike foundation to honor his memory.
As junior board members of just1mike, we work with the Brindley family to raise awareness about SCA — the No. 1 killer of student athletes and a leading cause of death on school campuses.
We also help raise funds for free in-school heart screenings, portable automated external defibrillators and permanent AED SaveStations.
Since 2017, just1mike has been sponsoring heart screenings for Young Hearts for Life at multiple school, including Hinsdale Central and South.
On Sept. 21, 2021 the just1mike foundation donated the first permanent AED SaveStation located at Burns Field Park in Hinsdale.
In addition, the foundation has provided portable AEDS to sports organizations in the western suburbs. AEDs are a critical part of the Cardiac Chain of Survival and the only way to restart the heart of someone in SCA.
Please help us and our fellow junior board members — Nikolai Rhodes, Bridget Schwarz, Isabella and Carl Styka — continue to honor Michael by donating to the just1mike foundation and/or purchasing just1mike merchandise.
The just1mike foundation cannot do all that it does without your generous support. Thank you! — Jackson, Connor and Spencer Mangone, Hinsdale
