The American Heart Association has launched a new storytelling initiative, the Nation of Lifesavers, featuring five compelling real-life CPR stories to underscore the urgent need for bystander intervention during cardiac emergencies. The initiative, announced during CPR & AED Awareness Week, aims to double the sudden cardiac arrest survival rate by 2030. According to the Association, 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 make up the inaugural Nation of Lifesavers Class, who 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. The featured stories were chosen from dozens of videos submitted by real survivors and everyday rescuers across the country.
“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 and senior vice president of women’s health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health of Northwell Health. “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 members of the inaugural Nation of Lifesavers Class include 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 saved her life after she collapsed, including her son Eddie who had learned CPR in school from the American Heart Association; Matthew Lynch (32, Cinnaminson, N.J.), who performed CPR on an unresponsive driver while commuting; 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, former NFL player Jeff Tupper.
When someone’s heart stops, immediate CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) use can double or even triple their chance of surviving. Yet less than half of people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest receive help from someone nearby. Medical credentials or formal training are not required; what matters is awareness, confidence, and the willingness to act. The Association emphasizes that if a teen or adult collapses, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute, about the tempo of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.
The Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to doubling the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest by 2030 by turning bystanders into lifesavers. The long-term goal is to ensure that anyone, anywhere, is prepared and empowered to perform CPR. Walgreens is a proud national sponsor. For more information, visit heart.org/nation to learn CPR or submit your own CPR story. The Association also offers resources like the Hands-Only CPR Resources and a Don’t Drop the Beat Spotify Playlist to help remember the correct compression rate. By sharing these stories, the Association hopes to shift public perceptions and ensure more people are trained in this simple, two-step lifesaving skill.
