OLYMPIA, Wash. — When Kim Reiter’s husband died from a cardiac arrest while working out at the gym, she was shocked to find out fitness centers are not required to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
So Reiter contacted her state legislators who helped pass a law requiring the potentially life-saving devices be placed in gyms.
In October of 2022, Brian Reiter died while working out at Tumwater’s Wimberly Training. Staff performed CPR on the 49-year-old Reiter, but he could not be saved. There was no AED at the gym.
The long-time tech worker volunteered for Thurston County’s Search and Rescue Team and loved helping others.
”He always would say, ‘Give to others. If you’re feeling sad, you need to give more,’” said Kim Reiter.
Brian Reiter left behind a wife, and two adult children, daughter Karli, and son Kaden.
“Of course it was a life-changer for all of us, in just a moment,” said Kim Reiter.
Kim Reiter said Gov. Jay Inslee, D-Washington, is expected to sign SB 5592 into law next week.
“That’s going to be a mark in time for us,” said Kim Reiter.
The law would go into effect in June of 2024.
”He would be really proud just knowing that we worked so hard in his honor to make sure other people don’t go through what we’re going through,” said Kim Reiter.
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