> Timothy Valas, 41, is alive today because his heart stopped beating near people who knew what was happening, knew what to do, and had the tools to do it. Mr. Valas had just finished a workout in Westboro, at the Boroughs Family Branch of the YMCA of Central Massachusetts.He grabbed a towel to wipe down the elliptical machine he'd been using, his exercise regimen since he hurt his knee playing volleyball weeks before.He wanted to get in some exercise before going to a basketball game in Providence that night.With several marathons under his belt and a monthly hike with friends up Wachusett Mountain, the Fidelity Investments vice president fit the definition of fitness. Mr. Valas was breathing, he had a pulse, but then he turned blue. Mr. Valas needed two shocks, his helpers standing clear each time, waiting for the ambulance to arrive. After the second shock, he stirred, struggling to breathe.A faint pulse returned and then the color in his face seeped back. The EMTs arrived, just seven minutes since Mr. Valas's collapse.Mr. Valas may never know why his heart stopped. While the AED was likely the most critical component in Mr. Valas's recovery, he was also helped by a hypothermic protocol that cooled his body to minimize damage to his brain. Mr. Valas woke up four days after his collapse, had his defibrillator implanted, and came home the next day. If he needs it, the device will shock his heart, delivering a jolt that will feel like someone has punched him in the chest, he explained.He can't swing a golf club until May, he can't walk through airport metal detectors, and with a wide smile, he says he can't complain. "He was so fortunate that everything worked out for him the way that it did," said Dr. Thanawalla, who visited Mr. Valas in the intensive care unit.Mrs. Valas, a lawyer at Fidelity Charitable Gifts, loves the idea of her husband carrying around protection for his heart. "So much can happen in just a few minutes," she said.

Curtis was accompanied at the auction by his fellow St. John's High graduate and Worcester CC member Tim Valas of Shrewsbury, who Curtis said may help him manage the golf club. Neither Curtis nor Valas has run a golf course, so Valas said they'll rely on advice from friend Tad Page, whose family owns Butternut Farm Golf Club in Stow. Valas is a retirement sales executive for benefits provider Aon Hewitt. Curtis and Valas have golfed at Shaker Hills many times. "We think it's got some really great qualities and good, challenging golf," Valas said.