At Fenway Park, 400 individuals gathered on June 4 for a Hands-Only CPR training event hosted by the Red Sox Foundation and the American Heart Association during National CPR and AED Awareness Week. The training, held after a Red Sox–Orioles game, aimed to equip youth athletes, coaches, educators, healthcare advocates and community leaders with the skills to respond to sudden cardiac arrest emergencies. Sudden cardiac arrest kills hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. each year, often because bystanders lack the confidence to act.
"We are deeply grateful to the Red Sox Foundation for their extraordinary leadership in bringing this lifesaving effort to Fenway Park. By uniting hundreds of people on the field during National CPR and AED Awareness Week, this effort not only raises awareness but equips individuals with the confidence to act when every second matters," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "Events like this remind us of the power of community - when bystanders are trained and ready, they can turn a critical moment into a lifesaving one."
Earlier in the day, a panel discussion focused on heart health and emergency response, moderated by Dr. Jennifer Ashton. Panelists included Nancy Brown, 2018 Red Sox World Series Champion Brock Holt, Angel City FC defender and cardiac arrest survivor Savy King, and local survivor and rescuer duo Marc Henderson and Jim McQuade. The discussion highlighted the importance of bystander intervention in cardiac emergencies.
"At the Red Sox Foundation, we believe strengthening our communities means investing in the health, safety and well-being of the people who call them home," said Bekah Salwasser, executive director of the Red Sox Foundation. "Providing access to lifesaving education like Hands-Only CPR is one of the many ways we work to create lasting impact beyond the ballpark."
More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals each year in the U.S., and about 90% are fatal, often because CPR isn't performed soon enough. The American Heart Association emphasizes that Hands-Only CPR for teens and adults has just two steps: call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest at 100–120 beats per minute. Participants who completed the training joined the Nation of Lifesavers™, a global movement launched in 2023 following NFL player Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest. Major League Baseball is a founding member of the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, which aims to expand CPR education and access to AEDs.
The event underscored the critical role of bystanders in improving survival outcomes. By bringing 400 people together at Fenway Park, the Red Sox Foundation and American Heart Association demonstrated a commitment to building a nation of lifesavers. For more information on Hands-Only CPR, visit heart.org.
