The family of Cory Wilson donated an automated external defibrillator (AED) to the College of Business Administration on Tuesday, May 8, according to a news release from GSU.

Wilson, a junior business major, collapsed in class and died on Jan. 17.

Wilson’s parents, Kenny and Lisa Wilson of Savannah, made the donation.

“I can’t explain to you the importance and need for awareness to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use an automated external defibrillator,” Lisa Wilson said in the news release. “It is our hope that this defibrillator placed here in Cory’s memory will one day serve as a lifesaver for another student, parent or staff member.”

The AED is a portable electronic device that can be used by people without medical training when there is a cardiac emergency.  The defibrillator automatically diagnoses and provides a brief electroshock when needed in potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and provides simple visual and audio commands for the user to follow.

“We are here today because of a tragedy that the Wilson family has worked to turn into something positive,” Bill Wells, interim dean of COBA, said in the news release. “They are looking forwards instead of backwards. The hope is that in the future this AED could help save a life.”

The Wilson family worked with Mike Castleman and Rob Williams, a GSU alumnus, of Cardiac Science and Janet Prince of School Health to secure the donation of the AED.

“This donation is the embodiment of Eagle Nation,” University President Brooks Keel said in the news release. “It means this University is a family. When tragedy strikes a family, we come together to support each other and raise awareness about an issue that affects the family. We have come together to take action to hopefully prevent this from ever happening again.”