found that many schools across the U.S. are woefully unprepared in the case of a sudden cardiac arrest, though there’s been a push for more equipment and training after Hamlin’s near-death.
Kentucky father Matthew Mangine joined Hamlin on Capitol Hill to advocate for the bill. His son Matthew Jr. collapsed during soccer practice in 2020 and died from cardiac arrest. Several AEDs were nearby, but no one knew how to use the equipment that could have saved the teenager’s life.
“That’s why it’s so important in this bill that we not only provide the equipment but the training, so people know how to use the equipment and it doesn’t lie fallow, sitting there,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said of the tragic incident. The senator pledged to get the bill passed this year.
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In February, Hamlin partnered with the American Heart Association for the #3forHeart CPR Challenge to educate people about the life-saving technique.
A doctor with the NFL Players Association said in February that Hamlin will play professional football again.
