Nominations open for 2025 Lifesaver Award
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 3, 2025 – Three beachgoers performed CPR this year on a man who collapsed on Peanut Island. A mom saved her then-six-year-old son’s life when a baseball stopped his heart in West Palm Beach last year. Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties are filled with heroes who jump from bystander to lifesaver in cardiac emergencies. Nominations are open now through October 20 for the 2025 Lifesaver Award to honor one of those local heroes. Nominees must be a resident of Palm Beach, Martin or St. Lucie County, and must have used CPR to save a life within the last two years.
“CPR can save a life, and we know that more than half of U.S. adults don’t feel confident in their ability to perform it in an emergency,” said Stacey Comerford, executive director of the American Heart Association, Palm Beach County. “Sharing stories of local lifesavers through this award, along with offering CPR demos at workplaces and at the Heart Walk, are a few ways that we can help everyone build that confidence.”
The two steps to Hands-Only CPR are: first, call 911, and second, push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives.
Many local companies and organizations, including Palm Beach State College, are engaging with the American Heart Association and providing employees Hands-Only CPR trainings.
“This spring, we trained more than 60 of our staff members in CPR with help from the American Heart Association. We have already made plans for future trainings, because we want our college to be as safe as possible,” said Stephen Joyner, Ph.D., provost of Palm Beach State College. “We hope the story behind this year’s Lifesaver Award recipient will inspire community members to refresh their own CPR skills, so that if they see someone in an emergency, they have the courage and the skills to help.”
Last year’s Lifesaver Award recipient, Luisa Lara, was working as a school nurse for Palm Springs Middle School when she responded to an emergency: a 14-year-old student had collapsed – his heart wasn’t beating.
“You never want to be faced with an emergency like a child who has stopped breathing,” Lara said. “I am so glad that I was CPR trained, and that he is healthy and happy today.”
Lara was announced as the 2024 Lifesaver Award recipient at last year’s Palm Beach County Heart Walk, and she was honored on Sept. 30 at a special presentation by her employer, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.
This year’s Lifesaver Award is sponsored by Palm Beach State College and nominations may be made here https://heart.jotform.com/252246829317967.
Registration is also open for the Nov. 8 Heart Walk which will be held at the Meyer Amphitheater in West Palm Beach. Visit PalmBeachHeartWalk.org.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Instagram and X.
For Media Inquiries:
Nina Barbero, APR
