Our Mission
Huddle For Hearts® is a ground-breaking initiative created in partnership between The Peyton Walker Foundation and collegiate athletes passionate about saving lives through CPR and Automated External Defibrillators.
Huddle For Hearts makes Sudden Cardiac Arrest prevention, awareness & treatment a priority.
Through Huddle For Hearts®, AEDs and CPR training are donated to youth sports organizations – focusing primarily on underserved communities.
Early defibrillation with an AED can be the difference between life & death when someone is in cardiac arrest. Huddle For Hearts® focuses on placing AEDs anywhere that kids play or practice sports or gather.
We encourage athletes to join our cause and become a Heart Hero. With Huddle For Hearts®, CPR & AED training is provided for coaches/leaders, players and parents. And, we’ll provide guidance on how to implement an emergency response plan that could help to save lives in the event of a cardiac emergency.
Bru encourages other athletes to join with him and become involved in Huddle For Hearts®. Athletes can initiate their own fundraising campaigns to raise funds to provide AEDs and CPR & AED training for youth sports across the country. We also work with athletes to secure individual performance-based sponsorships.
For more information, contact Julie Walker.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Sports
Learn what Sudden Cardiac Arrest looks like so you can react in the event of an emergency.
SEC Network features Bru McCoy's work with Huddle for Hearts
Watch the feature below:
Athletes are partnering with The Peyton Walker Foundation to raise awareness about Sudden Cardiac Arrest and the importance of AEDs in youth sports.
Join Our Initiative!
Our AED Partners
Our Supporting Partners
What is Sudden Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is not a heart attack – it’s the sudden onset of an abnormal and potentially fatal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat ineffectively or not at all. (National Institute of Health). It typically strikes without warning. Some warning symptoms that can lead to SCA include dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
- SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the US (over 600,000 annually).
- SCA is the #1 killer of student athletes in the U.S.
- SCA is the #2 medical cause of death in youth under 25.
- SCA is the leading cause of death on school campuses.
- Every hour, every day, a student dies from SCA.
- The first symptom of a hidden heart issue is often sudden death.
The use of AEDs and CPR increase the chances of surviving an SCA event. “The underlying cause of SCA can be a heart condition you’re born with (often inherited) and/or can develop as young hearts grow. SCA can also be triggered from a viral illness, or a blow to the chest from an object or a person. Up to 95% of SCA victims die because there was a delay in emergency response.” (Parent Heart Watch)When someone experiences Sudden Cardiac Arrest, it is critically important to immediately start CPR and get an AED to help restore the heart to a normal rhythm.
Too often, the first sign or symptom of an underlying heart issue is sudden cardiac arrest. Less than 10% of victims survive – most often because of a lack of AEDs or failure of bystanders to initiate CPR.
Meet Peyton Walker
On November 2, 2013, at the tender age of 19, Peyton’s young life was abruptly cut short due to a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) incident related to a genetic heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. She was taken from us far too soon, but left an imprint on this world and a legacy that won’t soon be forgotten.
Peyton was a sophomore at King’s College, located in Wilkes Barre, PA, studying to be a Physician Assistant. She was a 2012 graduate of Trinity High School, located in Camp Hill, PA.Peyton was a true adventure-seeker and absolutely loved and embraced the outdoors. She enjoyed snowboarding, rock climbing, hiking, 4-wheeling in her Jeep Wrangler, and anything that involved adventure.
Bru McCoy
Bru McCoy, wide receiver for the University of Tennessee Football Team, was the founding partner athlete who helped make Huddle for Hearts® a reality. Through his hard work, AEDs were donated to local youth sports organizations in the Knoxville community. He urges other athletes across the country to join with him and become involved in Huddle for Hearts®. “I’m really just inspired to give back to my local community,” said McCoy “And what better way to give back than by giving away life-saving tools and devices. It’s imperative that AEDs and CPR & AED training are provided for youth sports, not just in Knoxville but everywhere.”
