Thank you for your interest in Courtney's Crusade and your desire to help us overcome sudden cardiac death.

Courtney's Crusade was founded after our family suffered the tragic loss of our 24 year old daughter from a rare heart disease that effects the electrical system of the heart called Long QT Syndrome.

Courtney suffered sudden cardiac arrest in the early morning hours of August 9, 1999, and although paramedics arrived quickly she had been without a heartbeat for nearly eight minutes. Through defibrillation, the paramedics were able to restore her heartbeat, but Courtney later died on August 10. Since that day our family has been determined to find a way to make the best of a tragic situation.

Through much research, we have learned that one of the keys to survival in the event of sudden cardiac arrest is early defibrillation, but yet few public places have access to Automated External defibrillators (AED). Each year Sudden Cardiac Death claims the lives of a quarter of a million people in the United States alone and kills one adult every one to two minutes. It is because of these astonishing statistics that Courtney's Crusade has partnered with the American Heart Association and holds an annual fundraiser in Courtney's memory. Through generous donations and a silent auction, we have been able to raise thousands of dollars to purchase AED's and place them in local schools throughout Houston. Less than six months later, one of those devices has already been utilized.

Please consider what you or your company can do for Courtney's Crusade. All monetary and 'gift in kind' donations are tax deductible through Courtney's Crusade. Click here to learn more about our Auction.

Please partner with Courtney's Crusade as we continue the fight against Sudden Cardiac Death. It can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. With your help we can save thousands of lives. Our actions today will result in someone, somewhere having life tomorrow.

Please consider becoming a part of that!

History of Success!

2002 - 1st annual: 4 AED's donated to Sheldon ISD

2003 - 2nd annual:

  • 8 AED's - 6 donated to Spring Branch ISD; 1 to Schwartz, Page & Harding Law Firm; 1 to a unknown Houston Charter School thru Dr. Perse of the Houston Fire Dept.
  • Courtney's Crusade made a $300 contribution towards AED training manuals for troops going to Iraq.
  • Kindel (Courtney's identical twin) was honored by receiving the first RYCA Woman of Courage Award in 2003. This award will be given annually to a woman living with heart disease and working to promote awareness.
  • Kindel (Courtney's identical twin) was named Houston area spokesperson for the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Day in 2004.
2004 - 3rd annual: 8 AED's - all donated to Katy ISD.