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The Antony Hobbs Project is a program with two vital goals: to save the lives of students and adults by providing life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and rescue training to schools and other public and private facilities throughout greater Little Rock, and to provide improvements in more thorough heart-screenings and physical exams for student athletes before they participate in high school athletic programs.

The project is named in memory of Antony Hobbs III, a talented, young Arkansas student athlete who passed away from sudden cardiac arrest in January 2008.

The Hobbs project was initiated by Dr. Jimmy Tucker of Arkansas Specialty Orthopedic, St. Vincent Hospital, and eMED, Inc. of Little Rock, one of America‘s largest suppliers of Automated External Defibrillators and training.

To launch the program, each organization made major donations to provide a defibrillator and special training to every high school in the Little Rock School District.


Each year, 450,000 adults and almost 7,000 children lose their lives to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. For thousands of fortunate others however, fast access to an on-premise Automated External Defibrillator has literally meant the difference between life and death.

Since 2008, eMED, Inc. has donated more than 25 AEDs towards the project and continues its efforts to see that at least one defibrillator is readily available in schools, health clubs, business centers and other high traffic locations. Marcia and Antony Hobbs II also play a vital role in the project and continue to oversee activities and progress of the program.

“Considering the success rates and the ease of use of this ‘smart’ self-guiding equipment, there is no reason an AED should not be as common as a fire extinguisher in every public and private facility -- especially one serving young people,” says eMED Founder/President Ben J. Wellons of Little Rock. “We refuse to say, ‘If only.’ Our business has been blessed and we will continue to donate equipment and other services as much as we possible can. However, we can’t supply everyone, so we urge schools, businesses, religious facilities and individuals to contact us regarding this affordable equipment which so often means the very difference between living and dying.”

If you would like to consider being involved in the Antony Hobbs Project for schools or would consider donating an AED to another organization, group, private home or loved one, please email HobbsProject@emedamerica.com or call Ben Wellons at 501-223-5157.