Colorado nurse Kara Baker is continuing her mission to expand public access to outdoor AED SaveStations in memory of her father, Ed Walsh, who died after suffering sudden cardiac arrest at a youth soccer game in 2018.

Through the Ed Walsh Memorial Foundation, Baker recently installed three new outdoor AED SaveStations at Gallup Park and the South Park Pickleball Complex, bringing the foundation’s total to 18 installations across schools and parks in the Littleton area.

“It’s ironic because he spent a large chunk of his life getting AEDs inside of elementary schools and then he collapsed outside of one.”

— Kara Baker, Founder, Ed Walsh Memorial Foundation

Baker said her father’s death highlighted a critical gap in public AED access after the nearest device was locked inside a school building during a weekend soccer game. That experience inspired her to create the foundation and advocate for outdoor, publicly accessible AEDs.

The newest SaveStations were installed in partnership with South Suburban Parks and Recreation, where officials say the busy recreational facilities make them ideal locations for emergency equipment.

“Every minute that defibrillation is delayed, that patient’s chance of survival goes down by 7 to 10%.”

— Kara Baker

Baker emphasized that sudden cardiac arrest can affect anyone, regardless of age, and that outdoor AEDs help ensure life-saving equipment is available not only for athletes, but for everyone in the surrounding community.

The Ed Walsh Memorial Foundation also hosts community heart screening events, with proceeds supporting additional outdoor AED installations throughout Colorado.