CLEVELAND - The American Heart Association and Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward are launching a campaign during National CPR and AED Week, June 1-7, to encourage Cleveland residents to act as first responders in cardiac emergencies. Ward, who lost his father to sudden cardiac death, appears on new billboards across the city promoting Hands-Only CPR.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 6 in 10 American adults mistakenly believe that only people with special training should perform Hands-Only CPR, a misconception that can cost lives. Immediate CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dramatically improves outcomes, and because most cardiac arrests happen outside a hospital, bystanders are often the only ones who can act in time. Currently, bystanders perform CPR only about 41% of the time, a gap the Association is determined to close.
“People will often tell us they’re afraid they’ll ‘do it wrong’ or think CPR requires certification before they can help,” said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. “Here’s what matters: if a teen or adult collapses, call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest. Your hands can keep blood flowing until professionals arrive.”
More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside hospitals each year in the U.S., and about 90% are fatal. Most happen at home. The Heart Association emphasizes that Hands-Only CPR for teens and adults has just two steps: call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest at 100–120 beats per minute - roughly the rhythm of “Stayin’ Alive” or “Uptown Funk” - to a depth of approximately two inches.
“CPR is a personal duty,” Ward said. “Heroism isn’t limited to uniforms - it is everyday people stepping up for others. Whether you’re at home, at the gym, or at a Browns game, cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, and you’re most likely to save someone you know.”
Launched in February 2026, the Heart Association’s national theme - “You Are the First Responder Until Help Arrives” - is brought to life in Cleveland through Ward’s presence on billboards. The campaign is part of the Association’s Nation of Lifesavers initiative, which aims to double survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by 2030.
For four NFL seasons, the American Heart Association and the NFL have been educating Americans about CPR through the Nation of Lifesavers campaign. The Association is the global leader in resuscitation science, education and training, with more than 60 years of CPR experience, and publishes the official guidelines for CPR.
With nearly 3 out of 4 cardiac arrests outside of the hospital occurring in homes, knowing how to perform CPR is critically important. Hands-Only CPR is chest compression-only CPR. The public can take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life by visiting www.heart.org/nation.
