Since 16-year-old Wilton High School student George DiRocco died unexpectedly of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in 2020, his parents Artie and Deb DiRocco have been working tirelessly to ensure that no one else has to experience this preventable tragedy. As part of their mission, their organization, ‘More George’, will be hosting a carnival on Sunday, June 22 from 12-4 p.m. at Comstock Community Center (180 School Rd.). They hope to raise funds through this event to help them continue expanding their life-saving programs that they’ve created to honor the memory of their son.
What is sudden cardiac arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest happens when the electrical impulses of the heart stop functioning, leading to a loss of consciousness and potential death. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), every year 7,000 to 23,000 children experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the U.S. Overall, only about 10% of out-of-hospital victims survive, as it requires immediate treatment with a defibrillator (also known as an AED). CPR can also be an effective treatment.
‘More George’
The DiRocco family organized their first Wilton cardiac screening event in 2021, giving families the opportunity to screen their children for possible abnormalities. Since then, More George has screened over 1,100 Wilton residents and provided the community with 14 AEDs.
But that was only the beginning. According to Artie DiRocco, More George has now completed over 12,000 free screenings and donated 200 AEDs throughout Connecticut, even expanding to communities in Westchester and Massachusetts.
The AHA reports that nearly 39% of out-of-hospital SCA are youth-sports related, which is why More George has focused on donating AEDs for Wilton sports teams to bring with them when they travel. They have also worked to ensure that AEDs are accessible anywhere in Wilton where children are playing. This fall, More George plans on training WHS student athletes in CPR, in addition to organizing another free cardiac screening at WHS.
Unfortunately, not every community can afford this level of care. The DiRoccos hope to use the funds raised at the carnival to bring life-saving education, screenings and resources to as many people as possible.
More George and its Wallingford-based partner organization In A Heartbeat are the only organizations in New England providing these services to prevent deaths from sudden cardiac arrest. Artie DiRocco explained that in the next year, he aims to expand services throughout New England and deepen the work they’ve been doing in Wilton.
“Our screenings work,” he told GOOD Morning Wilton. “We’ve got 51 kids we’ve identified who are getting life-saving care.”
Upcoming Carnival Fundraiser
More George is promising a day of family fun and life-saving impact. As this is the organization’s one fundraising event of the year, organizers are hoping for good community turnout. Those who are interested in supporting the cause by attending the carnival can buy advance tickets online.
Admission is $30 per person ($35 at the door) or $100 per family ($125 at the door). The tickets include one hot dog and beverage per person, as well as unlimited access to the carnival activities: miniature golf; radar gun stations for pitch speed, lacrosse shots and running speed; carnival games; prizes; and cotton candy and snow cones.
The event will be moved inside Comstock in the case of bad weather.