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How TDBeAT is Turning Loss Into Lifesaving Awareness: A Be the Roar interview sponsored by CCL Customs – Beyond the Bench

When you take your seat at the Bayshore this Saturday, I urge you to look to the rafters just in front of where the legendary Fred Wallace sits to make his game day announcements. There, among the championship banners and memorials of past Attack players, you will find an Owen Sound North Stars Junior B banner in memory of Tyson Downs. This Saturday’s charity game will be raising funds for theTDBeAT Association. Tyson was a seemingly healthy elite athlete whose life was taken during his best years.

At just 18 years old, on July 23, 2023, a friend, teammate, brother and son was lost. If you met Tyson, you knew his infectious smile, his work ethic, his passion for family and his love of sports and the Grey Bruce community. After his passing, it was discovered that Tyson carried a positive hereditary mutated gene that caused sudden cardiac arrest with no previous signs or symptoms.

In an effort to keep Tyson’s legacy alive, his uncle Shawn Krueger and aunt Debbie Krueger along with Tyson’s family and a crew of volunteers, formed theTDBeAT Association to give local youth free access to learn lifesaving CPR skills. We’ve all seen AED’s in our local facilities, and TDBeAT Association strives to empower us to use them with confidence and knowledge when it matters most. I caught up with Shawn and Debbie at Krueger’s Custom Steel and Machining in advance of Saturday’s game to learn more about the association, Tyson’s legacy and their partnership with the Owen Sound Attack.

Beyond the Bench: If we go back to the beginning — after Tyson passed away and you learned more about the heart-related causes, from the initial shock to now, how did we come to be sitting in the TDBeATAssociation classroom today?

Shawn Krueger: The first conversations our family had after Tyson passed were about how we could keep his legacy alive and give back to the community that was so good to him. Not just the sports community, but everyone in Grey Bruce. As a family, we wanted to find a way to give back while keeping Tyson’s story alive.

Debbie Krueger: That was huge for us. We see Tyson’s banner hanging in the Bayshore, the Siskins retired his jersey. So many things have been done to honour him. We kept asking, “What can we do to give back?” This felt important because the opportunity maybe wasn’t there to help Tyson in that moment, but it could be there for someone else. Once we started learning more about what happened, we were shocked at how often cardiac arrest affects young athletes.

Who has been taking the course so far?

Shawn Krueger:Our focus is mainly athletic groups, ages 16 to 21 — high school and junior athletes — but we’re not limited to that. We’ve had adult volunteer groups, too. It’s about spreading awareness. We focus on youth because that’s who Tyson was — a healthy 18-year-old. When we started digging into it with Heart and Stroke, some of the numbers were astonishing. Sudden cardiac events in athletes are a big concern.

So when teams come in, are they learning what to actually do in a moment of crisis?

Shawn Krueger:Yes. We run an awareness program through Heart and Stroke calledCardiac Crash. Participants learn CPR and how to use an AED, but they don’t get certified. It’s more about confidence and awareness. They can pursue official certification after through other channels but TD Beat provides some initial education.

Debbie Krueger:We always ask the class, “Who here would know what to do if something happened?” Maybe one person raises their hand. When they leave, everyone does. The program uses a Heart and Stroke video and people really connect with it.

Is the program focused on giving participants the confidence to step in?

Shawn Krueger:Yes,a big deterrent in stepping up to help is fear. People worry about liability, but we explain the Good Samaritan Act. The course is interactive and team-based. They compete, earn points, and practice CPR. Brandon Stauffer shares personal stories from his fire-fighting career, and we show real-life examples where AEDs saved lives. It’s very different from a classroom lecture. We split the groups in half and create teams and have some friendly competition as they are learning. It’s a great team building activity.

Debbie Krueger:We also focus on awareness — getting people to look for AEDs. My cousin’s young daughter came to one session, and now she points them out everywhere. That’s what we want. We want people to know they can open that box and use it. It won’t hurt the person.

What will the funds raised at Saturday’s game be used for?

Shawn Krueger:Our newest initiative is installing outdoor AED towers in high-traffic areas locally. Harrison Park is our first goal. We’re working with the city and using stats from paramedics and fire departments to see where these would be most valuable.

Debbie Krueger:Funds from the charity game will also go towards equipment and supplies for the program and to increase awareness. And as Shawn said, we want to install the first outdoor AED tower in Owen Sound. Ideally, we’d like to have three installed by the end of 2026. Some places have AEDs inside, like the Bayshore, but they’re not always accessible. Parks, trails, and sports fields make a lot of sense.

How many participants have been through the program so far?

Shawn Krueger:Just over 350 to date. Now teams are calling us. We travel or they come here. The local schools will likely be holding regular sessions each semester.

And the Owen Sound Attack were one of the biggest groups?

Shawn Krueger:Yes — we had the players, coaches, trainers and staff. They asked great questions and have been incredibly supportive, especially with the charity game. The game night jerseys were designed by Tyson’s brother Gavin and are a tribute to Tyson. They incorporate the North Stars logo, the Siskin’s logo and the heartbeat that represents the TDBeATAssociation

You’ve learned a lot through this process. I understand you’re involved with other initiatives across Ontario now?

Debbie Krueger: Yes,we are working with the AED Foundation of Ontario, which runs the provincial AED registry.

Shawn Krueger: That registry connects to 911 dispatch. When someone calls 911,  the dispatcher can see the nearest registered AEDs. Public buildings are usually covered, but private businesses often aren’t registered. Canada is trailing behind the U.S. and Europe in that regard. In some places, when an AED cabinet is opened, nearby trained volunteers are alerted. There are apps in the U.S. that show AED locations. We hope Ontario continues to move in that direction.

What do all of these initiatives mean to your family?

Debbie Krueger: Sharing Tyson’s story helps. We still get to talk about him. Staying busy with this gives me a mission — it’s something I can do for him. Tyson’s parents and brother appreciate that we’re keeping his name alive, even though it’s hard for all of us at the same time.

Shawn Krueger: This fills a void in our community. Memorials are common, but this is unique. It didn’t really exist here before. The Cardiac Crash program was brand new when we started. We were one of the first groups using it. Heart and Stroke tracks usage, and we’ve been their top group. In five years, I hope TDBeATspreads across Ontario, whether directly through us or with other communities using a similar model.

If a team wants to book a session, how would they do that?

Shawn Krueger: They can contact us through the website at https://tdbeat.ca/ or email us at info@tdbeat.ca or follow us on social media at https://www.instagram.com/tdbeatassociation/ and https://www.facebook.com/TDBeat.Association/ and https://x.com/TDBeATAssoc/ or come and talk to us at the game. Our goal is to have every kid in Grey Bruce come through this program one day.

Thank you so much for sharing your story.
Shawn and Debbie: Thanks and see you at the game.

You can bid on the game-worn TDBeAT jerseys here (no longer avail as of this post)

Thanks as always to Lindsay Watson at CCL Customs – Custom Apparel and Laser Engraving for sponsoring this blog. You can check out CCL’s unique products athttps://www.facebook.com/cutzandcraftzbylindzand on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/cclcustomco/You can contact Lindsey Watson by phone at 519-373-3712 or by email atCutzandcraftzbylindz@outlook.com