Cardiovascular disease remains the top cause of death in the United States, claiming a life every 34 seconds. To combat this, the American Heart Association (AHA) has partnered with prominent athletes from the National Football League (NFL) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to broaden CPR training nationwide, emphasizing the life-saving impact of immediate response during cardiac emergencies.
Personal Stories Highlighting the Power of CPR
Damar Hamlin, safety for the Buffalo Bills, experienced the critical nature of prompt CPR during a 2023 Monday Night Football game when he suffered cardiac arrest. Thanks to swift intervention, he survived and has since become an ambassador for the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign. Hamlin actively promotes CPR education, describing the skill as a “superpower” available to everyone.
We’re pushing the mission for everyone to learn CPR,
Hamlin told Scripps News.
We’ve toured all over the U.S., we’ve left the U.S., we’ve been in so many other different countries just pushing the mission that if you know CPR and how to use it then you’re equivalent to a superhero. Knowing CPR and knowing how to use it is like having a superpower.
– Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety and AHA ambassador
Similarly, Angel City FC defender Savy King’s life was saved when she collapsed from a cardiac event during a game in May 2025. The presence of athletic trainers trained in CPR and emergency care proved critical in the moment.
It was just God’s grace that I was in the right place at the right time with the right people and on a field with athletic trainers that knew exactly what to do in a moment of crisis and CPR is what saved my life,
King said in an interview with Scripps News.
Importance of CPR Knowledge Emphasized by Health Leaders
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, highlighted how CPR and defibrillator use are often the difference between life and death in cardiac arrest situations. She pointed to both Hamlin’s and King’s recoveries as examples of how timely CPR performed by knowledgeable bystanders can save lives and allow survivors to return to activities they love.
In both Damar’s case and Savy’s case, their heart actually stopped beating and that’s what a cardiac arrest is,
Brown explained.
And in their case it’s really important that they were surrounded by people that knew how to perform CPR, knew how to use a defibrillator, and made sure they got transferred to a high quality health care center. And look at them both back here today playing the sports that they love to play. And that’s the message of the Nation of Lifesavers campaign, is making sure that everyone everywhere knows how to do CPR.
– Nancy Brown, CEO of American Heart Association
Building a Community of Lifesavers Through Education and Advocacy
The collaboration between sports stars and the AHA focuses on transforming everyday citizens into empowered responders. Through outreach and education, the campaign encourages everyone to acquire CPR skills, turning potentially life-threatening situations into opportunities for heroic action. This effort aims to increase survival rates and reinforce the importance of preparedness within communities nationwide.
