The “Kai 11 bill” is named after Kai Lermer, a 16-year-old Waukesha teen who died in 2019 from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing basketball with friends.

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers signed bipartisan legislation at Waukesha North High School on Tuesday that will increase awareness on the risks of cardiac arrest among youth athletes.

The “Kai 11 bill” is named after Kai Lermer, a 16-year-old Waukesha teen who died in 2019 from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing basketball with friends.

“Three years ago this same week, Kai was fighting for his life at Children’s Hospital,” Mike Lermer said at Tuesday’s signing ceremony, Kai’s dad. “Our mission became clear and simple – save lives.”

The legislation will require more awareness for all youth sports in Wisconsin about the risks of cardiac arrest and encourage students and their families to get an EKG test, which would have detected Kai’s condition.

The Mayo Clinic said sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death among young athletes nationwide.

“It takes a group of parents, making the group even bigger and bigger to say ok this is what we can do,” Evers said after signing the bill into law.

The Department of Public Instruction will work with the WIAA and doctors to develop the exact information to distribute to athletes statewide.

“Kai would be proud of today,” Lermer said. “He gave back when he was an athlete and as a student, made everyone laugh, and I know he didn’t want other families to deal with the tragedy we dealt with.”

Kai’s family is also working to offer EKG tests to student-athletes through the Kai Lermer Memorial Fund, a goal they said they will continue until every student-athlete is tested.