John McEachern, O.M.C.

Advocate

Chase McEachern

John McEachern

  On February 9th 2006, Chase McEachern (11 yrs old) passed away suddenly at school due to sudden cardiac arrest (atrial flutter).  Chase and his family were aware of his heart condition due to earlier screening; and it was Chase's dream that all schools and arena's in Ontario be equipped with Automated External Defibrillators (AED).  So passionate was Chase, that he wrote to Don Cherry in hopes of his support with this campaign.

  Carrying on the work of his son, John McEachern pushed forward with Chase's dream and 2006 Ontario passed The Chase McEachern Act (Heart Defibrillator Civil Liability Act, 2007) which not only made it law for AED's to be in all arena's in Ontario but protected those who used AED's in good faith, trained or not.

  John is commonly known in Simcoe County as 'Chase's dad' and is father to Cole.  John is proudly doing what he has wanted to do for years, telling Chase's story and working with Rescue 7 to sell AED's.  With over 12 000 AED's across Canada, 7 500 in Ontario in Chase's name alone, John is proud of the 72 lives saved due to his son's vision.  In 2008 John was awarded the Ontario Medal of Good Citizenship (O.M.C.) and in 2009 he received the Heart of Gold Award from Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

  In his spare time, John has been the President, Vice President, Convener, Coach and Trainer for the Barrie Minor Hockey as well as Convener and Coach to the Barrie Minor Soccer.  He is a member of K-40 and part time licence officer for the Ontario Racing Commission - Georgian Downs.