Player Collapsed: Bigfork District Buys Defibrillator

BIGFORK – School District 38 in Bigfork has bought a defibrillator and is installing it in the new concession stand building at the school football field.

Bigfork High School football player Jeffrey Bowman collapsed on the field on the first day of practice in August 2007. Bowman, 17, died a week later.

His parents are suing the school district, the high school's head football coach and its former athletic director. Among other things, they argue the quick deployment of a defibrillator would have saved their son's life.

The new defibrillator was bought with money raised by Serra Valentine, whose son Cheyne was a friend and teammate of Bowman's.

The district had three at the time of Bowman's death, but none at the football field.