Cocoa High Football Player Survives Cardiac Arrest

CPR and AED use saved the life of 33-year-old Josh Woods during a high school practice.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 7:48am

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray photograph of a human heart, pulsing with faint electrical activity, conceptually illustrating the life-saving medical intervention that saved a young athlete's life.A life-saving AED device and quick-acting CPR helped revive a Cocoa High School football player who suffered sudden cardiac arrest on the field.Cocoa Today

Josh Woods, a 33-year-old former Cocoa High School football player, suffered cardiac arrest during a practice in 2017. Thanks to quick-acting teammates and coaches who performed CPR and used an AED, Woods survived the life-threatening incident, despite the fact that only 10% of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting typically survive.

Why it matters

This story highlights the importance of CPR and AED training, as well as having these life-saving devices readily available at schools and other community settings. Cardiac arrest can strike anyone at any time, and immediate action is crucial to improving survival rates.

The details

During a football practice at Cocoa High School in 2017, Josh Woods, then 33 years old, suddenly collapsed and went into cardiac arrest. His teammates and coaches immediately sprang into action, performing CPR and using an AED to revive him. Woods flatlined for 12-18 minutes before being resuscitated.

  • Josh Woods suffered cardiac arrest during a football practice at Cocoa High School in 2017.

The players

Josh Woods

A 33-year-old former Cocoa High School football player who suffered cardiac arrest and was revived thanks to CPR and an AED.

Cocoa High School

The high school where Josh Woods played football and where the cardiac arrest incident occurred.

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The takeaway

This incident underscores the critical importance of CPR and AED training, as well as having these life-saving devices readily available in schools and other community settings. Immediate action can mean the difference between life and death when it comes to cardiac emergencies.