On June 4, the Red Sox Foundation and the American Heart Association (AHA) turned Fenway Park into a lifesaving training center, teaching Hands-Only CPR to 400 invited participants following a Red Sox–Orioles game. The event, held during National CPR and AED Awareness Week (June 1-7), aimed to equip bystanders with the confidence to respond to sudden cardiac arrest emergencies. Youth athletes, coaches, educators, healthcare advocates, and community leaders gathered in the outfield for the immersive training.
Sudden cardiac arrest kills hundreds of thousands in the U.S. each year, often because bystanders lack CPR skills. The training highlighted the critical role bystanders play in improving survival outcomes. Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, expressed gratitude to the Red Sox Foundation for their leadership, stating, "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."
Earlier in the day, a panel discussion focused on heart health, emergency response, and bystander intervention. Moderated by Dr. Jennifer Ashton, founder of Ajenda and AHA board member, the panel included Brown; 2018 Red Sox World Series Champion Brock Holt; Angel City FC defender and cardiac arrest survivor Savy King; and local cardiac arrest survivor and rescuer duo Marc Henderson and Jim McQuade.
Bekah Salwasser, executive director of the Red Sox Foundation, emphasized the foundation's commitment to community health: "Providing access to lifesaving education like Hands-Only CPR is one of the many ways we work to create lasting impact beyond the ballpark." Dr. Ashton noted, "Seeing hundreds of people gathered across the Fenway Park outfield learning these lifesaving skills sent a powerful message about the impact communities can have."
Participants joined the AHA's Nation of Lifesavers, a movement launched after Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest. Since its launch, the initiative has expanded CPR education and access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, which includes MLB as a founding member. The AHA will offer Hands-Only CPR skills to fans at the All-Star Village in Philadelphia, July 11-14.
More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the U.S., with about 90% fatal, often because CPR isn't performed soon enough. The AHA 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—roughly the rhythm of "Stayin' Alive" or "Uptown Funk"—to a depth of about two inches.
