5 Real-Life CPR Stories Launch American Heart Association's Lifesaver Push

DALLAS - The American Heart Association (AHA) launched a powerful new storytelling initiative during CPR & AED Awareness Week, featuring five real-life CPR survival stories aimed at doubling the sudden cardiac arrest survival rate. The five survivors and rescuers make up the inaugural Nation of Lifesavers Class, a one-year volunteer group that will share their personal experiences through traditional and digital media, advocate for public policies, and lead CPR training opportunities. According to the AHA, 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because they don't receive immediate CPR. Additionally, nearly 2 out of 3 people mistakenly believe only those with special training should perform CPR. The AHA aims to change this mindset by turning CPR from a medical skill into a shared human responsibility.

The featured stories include Phylicia Baugh, who performed chest compressions on a loved one during a family trip; Kristen Walenga, who survived after her children, including her son Eddie who learned CPR in school, saved her; Matthew Lynch, who used CPR he learned at work to revive two unresponsive individuals in a car; Edward Marsh, who collapsed on a dance floor and was revived by strangers and a friend; and his twin brother Wallis Marsh, who learned CPR after his own heart attack and later saved a friend. These stories were selected from dozens of videos submitted by survivors and rescuers nationwide.

The AHA's Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to doubling the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest by 2030. The initiative emphasizes that immediate CPR and AED use can double or triple survival chances, yet less than half of victims receive help. The AHA urges everyone to learn the simple two-step skill: call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest at 100-120 beats per minute, like the beat of "Stayin' Alive." Walgreens is a proud national sponsor of this initiative. The AHA invites the public to join by learning CPR and sharing their own stories.