Cleveland Browns cornerback and American Heart Association Nation of Lifesavers™ NFL Player Ambassador Denzel Ward is taking his influence beyond the field and into the heart of the city, appearing on new billboards across Cleveland in conjunction with National CPR and AED Week, held June 1-7 each year. Ward, who lost his father to sudden cardiac death, is focused on the life-saving message that anyone can perform CPR using just their hands.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 6 in 10 U.S. adults still incorrectly believe that only specially trained people should perform hands-only CPR. This misunderstanding can cost lives. Immediate CPR, also known as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, has been proven to dramatically improve outcomes, and because most cardiac arrests occur outside of a hospital, bystanders are often the only ones able to act in time.
The Heart Association’s national theme, “You are the first responder until help arrives,” launched in February 2026, is brought to life in Cleveland through Ward’s presence on billboards encouraging residents to intervene with confidence in emergencies. Currently, bystanders perform CPR only about 41% of the time, and the association is determined to close that gap.
People often tell us that they’re worried about “doing the wrong thing” or that they think they need a certification to perform CPR. This is important. If your teen or adult falls, call 911 and press them hard and fast on the center of the chest. You can use your hands to maintain blood flow until a specialist arrives. A huge thank you to Denzel Ward for sharing this life-saving message. ”
Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association
More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals each year in the United States, and approximately 90% are fatal. Most occur at home. To dispel the myth that CPR requires special training, the Heart Association emphasizes that hands-only CPR for teens and adults requires only two steps:
- please call 911
- Push hard and fast in the center of your chest at 100 to 120 beats per minute (roughly the rhythm of “Stayin’ Alive” or “Uptown Funk”) to a depth of about 2 inches.
“CPR is a personal duty,” Ward said. “Heroism isn’t limited to uniforms; it’s everyday people doing things for others. Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, at home, at the gym, at a Browns game, and you’re most likely to save someone you know.”
For four NFL seasons, the American Heart Association and the NFL, committed to making healthier lives possible for all, have aggressively put boots on the ground and cleats on the field to educate more Americans about mastering this lifesaving skill through the association’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign. The American Heart Association is a world leader in resuscitation science, education, and training with more than 60 years of experience in CPR education and training. The association also publishes official guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Nation of Lifesavers’ collaboration with the NFL is the latest effort to demonstrate the association’s commitment to CPR education, with the goal of doubling out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030.
With Denzel Ward’s leadership and visibility across Cleveland, the message is clear. You don’t need to be a medical doctor to save lives with CPR. All you need is the courage to act.
Nearly three out of four out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur at home, so knowing how to perform CPR is critical Hands-only CPR is CPR that uses only chest compressions. Take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life. Visit www.heart.org/nation.
sauce:
american heart association
