The family of a young Bristol rugby star who died after suffering a cardiac arrest in Millennium Square have backed the installation of a defibrillator available to the public, after learning there were five around him when he died - all of which were behind locked doors in nearby buildings.
Sam Polledri might have been saved if one of the defibrillators in Millennium Square was accessible and if someone nearby knew it was there. The 24-year-old rugby star, whose brother Jake plays for Gloucester and dad Peter played for Bristol, died in February and ever since then, a shrine of flowers, cards and messages have filled the exit stairs at the bottom of the Planetarium in the square.
On Friday, the Great Western Ambulance service held a CPR and defibrillator awareness event for five hours to give passers-by the opportunity to learn how to do CPR and use a defibrillator - skills that might have saved Sam’s life. A new defibrillator has been installed, and Sam’s mum Louise backed the moves to increase awareness.
