Huddle for Hearts, spearheaded by Bru McCoy, a wide receiver from the Tennessee football team, will donate two AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) to NewBreed Youth Sports Inc., a youth sports program in Knoxville, Tennessee dedicated to improving skills, building character and supporting the overall physical and emotional development of young players. Players, coaches and parents are all invited and encouraged to attend as East Tennessee Children’s Hospital will be providing CPR & AED demonstrations and training following the donation.
Huddle for Hearts is working in partnership with The Peyton Walker Foundation (PWF), a non-profit based out of Camp Hill, PA that works to increase awareness and survival rates for Sudden Cardiac Arrest through AED donations, heart screenings, and CPR/AED education and training.
“We’re really excited to be partnering with Bru on this initiative,” said Julie Walker, Executive Director of The Peyton Walker Foundation. “Our hope is to grow this program and have more athletes engaging with us to place more AEDs across the country. Huddle for Hearts will help to provide AEDs and CPR & AED training to underserved communities, while allowing Bru to gift a wonderful legacy to the Knoxville community”.
Among his responsibilities as a student and member of the Tennessee football team, Bru has made it a point to make Sudden Cardiac Arrest prevention, awareness and treatment a priority. His goal is to provide AEDs to youth sports organizations, while encouraging 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. Following the on-field collapse of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), the significance of CPR and AEDs became even more evident to me. With SCA being the #1 killer of student-athletes in the U.S., it is imperative that AEDs and CPR & AED training are provided for youth sports, not just in Knoxville but everywhere.”
McCoy’s thoughts were confirmed this past week by Buffalo Bills head trainer, as he and his staff accepted an award for their efforts in saving the life of Damar Hamlin. “Support funding for AED & CPR training, especially in underserved communities…If there is one thing to take away from this night, learn CPR and how to use an AED because they save lives.”
This donation through Huddle for Hearts checks every one of those boxes and the timing could not be more perfect.
“We are so thankful to Huddle For Hearts for the donation of these AEDs to our organization,” said NewBreed Youth Sports Co-founder, President and Commissioner, Latonya Henry. “To have an AED readily available at events can be the difference between life and death and this gives us another level of preparedness for our players, opponents and our fans.”
