Every 34 seconds, someone in the U.S. dies from cardiovascular disease — the nation’s leading cause of death. Now, the American Heart Association (AHA) is teaming up with National Football League and the National Women’s Soccer League stars to expand CPR training across the country.
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Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin knows firsthand how crucial lifesaving action can be. In 2023, during a Monday Night Football game, Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and survived thanks to immediate CPR. He now serves as the ambassador for the AHA’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign and is committed to raising awareness about heart health and emergency preparedness.
"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."
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Hamlin’s mission is shared by Angel City FC defender Savy King. In May 2025, King collapsed on the field due to a cardiac event mid-game — and CPR saved her life.
"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 told Scripps News.
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, also underscored the life-or-death importance of CPR know-how.
"In both Damar's case and Savy's case, their heart actually stopped beating and that's what a cardiac arrest is," Brown said. "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."
Through sports, advocacy, and education, the campaign aims to ensure that bystanders can step in with lifesaving skills — turning ordinary citizens into everyday heroes.
