BOSTON - On June 4, the Red Sox Foundation and the American Heart Association transformed Fenway Park into a lifesaving training ground, equipping 400 invited individuals with Hands-Only CPR skills following the Red Sox–Orioles game. The event, held during National CPR and AED Awareness Week (June 1-7), aimed to address the staggering statistic that sudden cardiac arrest kills hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. each year, often because bystanders do not know how to respond.
Youth athletes, coaches, educators, healthcare advocates, and community leaders gathered in the outfield for an immersive Hands-Only CPR training designed to build confidence and skills to act during a cardiac emergency. “We are deeply grateful to the Red Sox Foundation for their extraordinary leadership in bringing this lifesaving effort to Fenway Park,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “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 preparedness, and bystander intervention. Moderated by Dr. Jennifer Ashton, founder of Ajenda and American Heart Association board member, the panel featured Nancy 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 lifesaver duo Marc Henderson and Jim McQuade.
“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 is not performed soon enough. The American 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 a rate of 100-120 beats per minute and a depth of approximately two inches. By completing the training, participants joined the Nation of Lifesavers, a global movement launched in 2023 following the sudden cardiac arrest of NFL player Damar Hamlin. Major League Baseball is a founding member of the Smart Heart Sports Coalition, and the Heart Association will offer Hands-Only CPR skills to fans at the All-Star Village in Philadelphia, July 11-14.
“Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, and survival often depends on whether someone nearby is prepared to act in those first critical moments,” said Ashton. “Expanding access to CPR education is one of the most important ways we can strengthen public health and save lives.”
