NFL, NWSL Stars Join Campaign to Promote CPR Training

Damar Hamlin and Savy King share their stories of cardiac arrest survival to encourage others to learn lifesaving skills

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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The American Heart Association has teamed up with NFL and NWSL stars Damar Hamlin and Savy King to launch the Nation of Lifesavers campaign, which aims to expand CPR training across the country. Both Hamlin and King survived cardiac arrest while playing their respective sports, and they are now using their platforms to encourage everyone to learn CPR and become potential lifesavers.

Why it matters

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and the Nation of Lifesavers campaign seeks to empower more people with the skills to respond in emergency situations. By sharing their personal stories, Hamlin and King hope to inspire others to take action and learn CPR, which can make the difference between life and death.

The details

The campaign is a partnership between the American Heart Association, the NFL, and the NWSL. Hamlin, a Buffalo Bills safety, suffered cardiac arrest during a 2023 Monday Night Football game and was revived thanks to immediate CPR. King, an Angel City FC defender, also collapsed on the field due to a cardiac event in 2025, and CPR saved her life. Now, they are using their platforms to raise awareness about the importance of CPR training and encourage people to become 'superheroes' by learning the lifesaving skill.

  • In 2023, Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game.
  • In May 2025, Savy King collapsed on the field due to a cardiac event during an NWSL match.

The players

Damar Hamlin

A Buffalo Bills safety who suffered cardiac arrest during a 2023 NFL game and is now the ambassador for the American Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers campaign.

Savy King

An Angel City FC defender who collapsed on the field due to a cardiac event in 2025 and was saved by CPR, and is now joining the Nation of Lifesavers campaign.

Nancy Brown

The CEO of the American Heart Association, who emphasized the importance of bystanders knowing how to perform CPR in emergency situations.

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What they’re saying

“We're pushing the mission for everyone to learn CPR. 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 (Scripps News)

“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.”

— Savy King (Scripps News)

“In both Damar's case and Savy's case, their heart actually stopped beating and that's what a cardiac arrest is. 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, American Heart Association (Scripps News)

What’s next

The American Heart Association, NFL, and NWSL will continue to promote the Nation of Lifesavers campaign, with the goal of expanding CPR training and empowering more people to become potential lifesavers.

The takeaway

The stories of Damar Hamlin and Savy King demonstrate the life-saving power of CPR, and the Nation of Lifesavers campaign aims to ensure that more people are equipped with this critical skill to help save lives in emergency situations.