Easter Sunday, a fall at the door, and an AED bought just 15 months earlier

What happened

Easter Sunday is the busiest day of the year for most churches. On April 5, 2026, at First Congregational Church of Branford, Connecticut, 90-year-old Walter Gay was leaving after the service when he fell. He was in cardiac arrest.

According to church officials quoted by WTNH, parishioners started CPR right away. Certified nurse-midwives in the congregation used the church’s automated external defibrillator, and Gay began to come back. The church had only gotten its AED in January 2025.

Pastor Joseph Perdue told WTNH it was the first medical emergency during his time at the church.

What safety teams can take from it

• Big days bring big crowds and more emergencies. Easter, Christmas, funerals and weddings bring larger, older and less familiar crowds. Schedule extra medically trained volunteers for those days.
• “We’ve never had one” is not a plan. This was the pastor’s first emergency, and the AED had been there only about 15 months. If your church doesn’t have an AED, budget for one this year.
• Know your medical people. Nurses, EMTs and doctors attend most churches. Find out who they are, ask if they’re willing to be called on, and include them in drills.
• Transitions are risky. Walter collapsed while people were leaving. Exits and stairs are where falls and medical events happen, and where a crowd can block responders. Post a team member at each exit during dismissal.
• Train ordinary members in CPR. The first compressions came from parishioners, not professionals. A one-afternoon CPR/AED class each year makes your whole congregation better at this.