TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man on vacation with his girlfriend suddenly went into cardiac arrest Sunday.
30-year-old Trevor Swiggard has been recovering in a hospital in Spain, and locals are rallying behind him and his family to help pay for his medical expenses.
It was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime for Swiggard and his girlfriend Lauren -- a week to unwind, landing in Barcelona Sunday and heading on a cruise ship.
But the two never left port.
"They had to use a defibrillator on him, the AED on him, and they transported him to a nearby local hospital in Spain," said mother Connie Swiggard, who said Trevor was put in a medically-induced coma.
"When they came back and said it was a cardiac arrest, for a 30-year-old and my son, it was pretty unbelievable," she said.
As Trevor recovers, his family and friends have been collecting funds to pay for the hospital bills and bring him and Lauren home safely. Trevor is a founding member of the Tallahassee Kickball Association (TKA).
"He's not only an all-star on the field, but he's an all-start off the field," said Greg Tish, a founding member of the TKA. "Everybody loves him, and I think that's being shown with everybody coming together and helping him out in his time of need."
Thursday, the TKA will hold a special fundraiser for Trevor at Krewe de Gras Midtown Tavern. So far, more than $18,000 has been raised. Trevor's mother said she's overwhelmed by the support.
"There are so many people that are so good in this world, and we see it all the time," she said. "There's a whole lot of evil, and this has just restored my faith."
"We are a family, and when one of us is in need, everybody is there to help them out," Tish said. "We may wear different color shirts on the field, but off the field, we're all just one big happy family."
The fundraiser starts at 8 p.m. Thursday at Krewe de Gras on North Monroe Street. For more information, click HERE.
To help financially support Trevor and his family, click HERE.
