Jake tragically passed away from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome at just 30 years old

Manager Preston Gaddy pictured with the new defibrillator donated in memory of Jake Roberts — Palace Gardens manager Preston Gaddy pictured with the new defibrillator

Palace Gardens Shopping Centre in Enfield Town has installed a new community defibrillator after it was donated by the parents of a young man who died suddenly aged just 30.

The defibrillator was kindly donated by Alison and Simon Lewis in memory of their son Jake, who tragically passed away from sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in 2021.

Located near the lifts passage by Waitrose, the defibrillator is housed in an unlocked cabinet and is registered with the ambulance service as part of the national defibrillator network The Circuit. In an emergency, anyone can access the defibrillator immediately.

Jake was described as “a vibrant and much-loved young man whose life was cut short in his sleep”. His parents, in partnership with national charity SADS UK, chose Palace Gardens as the site for the defibrillator to honour Jake and support the community that meant so much to him.

“The sudden loss of our wonderful son Jake has been devastating,” said Alison and Simon Lewis. “Only 30 years old, he was a healthy and happy young man whose heart stopped beating whilst he slept. He was gentle, kind, smart and funny, and loved beyond measure.

“We are donating this defibrillator to Palace Gardens in his name, in the hope it will help save lives within the community where he was born.”

A memorial plaque has been installed alongside the defibrillator, marking it as a tribute to Jake.

The initiative was supported by the national cardiac charity SADS UK, which raises awareness of sudden cardiac death and works to place Public Access Defibrillators across the UK.

“SADS UK is extremely grateful to Alison and Simon Lewis for supporting the charity,” said a spokesperson. “The charity was pleased to help organise the defibrillator, cabinet and memorial plaque at Palace Gardens Shopping Centre. We are delighted that the centre now has a defibrillator on its premises to restart the heart if there is a cardiac arrest nearby.

“Using CPR alone provides a 5% chance of survival, but when combined with early defibrillation, survival rates increase to over 50%.”

Palace Gardens staff will receive training to use the equipment in emergencies. Around 80,000 to 120,000 people in the UK experience cardiac arrest outside hospital each year. As the only device capable of restarting the heart, a defibrillator can dramatically improve survival chances.

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