Dep. Legal MA-74-2004 - ISSN 2488-1562
Costa del Sol I No. 2124 I 19 - 25 March 2026 I FREE Newspaper
Legacy of hope WHEN a swimming pool accident occurred in 2022 in Coin involving two-yearold toddler Milas, his father ran to the scene and started CPR. Neighbour John Peavoy, a retired police officer, joined him, and together they performed compressions for nearly half an hour until the ambulance arrived. Paramedics restarted Milas’ heart, but after no brain activity was detected at Malaga’s Materno Infantil hospital, life support was switched off. An available defibrillator (AED) might have saved him. From this unimaginable loss, hope was born. Milas’ father shared, “All I ever wanted was to do something in his name - a single defibrillator - as a positive outcome from such a tragic event.” A conversation with John Peavoy, who insisted on paying for the device along with Maxine Tierney, began the ball rolling. Gerry and Jenny Hannam of the Save a Life campaign, inspired by Gerry’s own cardiac arrest survival, organised the purchase and installation with school. It began as one idea shared with Kelly Summerell of
Credit: EWN
DEFIBRILLATOR HONOURS LITTLE MILAS AT ALHAURIN SCHOOL
The Hannams, Milas’ parents & siblings, Kelly & David.
Mediterranean Homes but grew into a movement. On Thursday, March 12, Milas’ parents, brother and sister attended the fitting of a brand new defibrillator at the 200-pupil Emilia Olivares school in Alhaurin el Grande. This ninth device by the Hannams on the Costa del Sol now protects people of all nationalities in the area. Cardiac arrest can strike anyone at any age, and Spain lacks quick access to AEDs, but today’s techno-
logy means anyone can use them safely with voice guidance. Pupils learned CPR basics and sang a special song to remember what to do in this kind of emergency. Everyone hopes it stays
unused, but if needed, it is there – a tribute to Milas, ready to save lives. From personal grief to community safeguard, this installation shows how one heartfelt conversation turns into something far bigger.