The American Heart Association kicked off CPR & AED Awareness Week on June 1 by launching a new storytelling initiative, the Nation of Lifesavers, featuring five powerful real-life CPR stories. The initiative aims to double the sudden cardiac arrest survival rate, addressing a critical public health issue: 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time.
The five survivors and rescuers, chosen from dozens of videos submitted by real survivors and everyday rescuers nationwide, make up the inaugural Nation of Lifesavers Class. For a one-year term, they will share their personal stories through traditional and digital media, advocate for public policies that improve the chain of survival, and lead volunteer CPR training opportunities.
“Nearly 2 out of 3 people believe only those with special training should perform CPR, a mistaken belief that costs lives,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association. “To kick off CPR & AED Awareness Week, the American Heart Association is highlighting these powerful stories and working to change the idea of CPR as a medical skill to a shared human responsibility. Everyone should know that the power to save a life is in your hands.”
The 2026 class includes Philicia Baugh (49, Charleston, S.C.), who performed chest compressions on a loved one during a family trip; Kristen Walenga (52, Chicago, Ill.), whose four children, including 15-year-old Eddie who learned CPR in school, saved her after she collapsed; Matthew Lynch (32, Cinnaminson, N.J.), who performed CPR on an unresponsive driver and passenger during his commute; Edward Marsh (59, Houston, Texas), who was saved by strangers and a friend on the dance floor; and Wallis Marsh (59, Houston, Texas), Edward’s twin, who used CPR skills to save his friend and former NFL player Jeff Tupper.
Immediate CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use can double or triple a person’s chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest, yet less than half of victims receive help from someone nearby. Medical credentials or formal training are not required; what matters is awareness, confidence, and the willingness to act. In a cardiac emergency, anyone can be the difference before professional help arrives. The simple steps: call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute—the tempo of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.
The Association’s Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to doubling the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest by 2030 by turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers. The long-term goal is to ensure anyone, anywhere, is prepared and empowered to perform CPR. Walgreens is a proud national sponsor of the initiative. To join, learn CPR at heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR or submit your own CPR story here.
