Family donates AED to Windover Lake after their own cardiac emergency

CLARE COUNTY — A lifesaving device was donated to assist the community on Windover Lake in Clare County.

After the Benda family went through emergency events, one of which happened on the lake, they took it upon themselves to buy an automatic external defibrillator (AED) and make it available to everyone in the area.

Fast response times are incredibly important in a cardiac emergency, but that can be tough in rural areas.

While the family hopes the AED is never needed, they know it could mean the difference between life and death.

“I hope we never have an event that we need it, but I know it’s here and we have access to it. [I] hope other lake owners might think about doing that, or get CPR trained – [it] could save somebody’s life,” said Rob Benda.

The AED is located on the northeast side of Windover Lake, 6 feet from the shore.