Surviving Death to a National Wake‑Up Call: One Athlete’s Story and a New Vision for Screening with Dr. Jonathan Drezner

About this episode

This episode discusses the urgent need for cardiac safety measures in athletics through the experiences of a young athlete and insights from a sports cardiologist.

In this deeply moving episode, the AT Last team sits down with Amir Nickerson, a young athlete whose life was saved after a sudden cardiac arrest during a high school track event, and Dr. Jonathan Drezner, world-renowned sports cardiologist, team physician for the Seattle Seahawks, and director of the UW Center for Sports Cardiology. Together, they unpack the science, systems, and inequities behind sudden cardiac arrest in athletes, and how access to emergency planning and trained professionals can mean the difference between life and death. The conversation highlights the urgent need for AED access, emergency action plans, and cardiac screening programs in underserved schools, where resources are often scarce. Drawing from Amir’s experience and Dr. Drezner’s decades of research, the discussion becomes both a call to action and a roadmap for prevention. From personal testimony to systemic insight, this episode captures how community partnerships, policy, and medical innovation can close the cardiac safety gap and protect the next generation of athletes. AT L.A.S.T. Website: WeAreATLast.org Email: adam.cady@weareatlast.org Support…

People in this episode

Host: AT LAST

Guests: Amir Nickerson, Dr. Jonathan Drezner

Topics covered

• sudden cardiac arrest
• athlete safety
• emergency planning
• health equity
• cardiac screening
• community partnerships

Keywords

• sudden cardiac arrest
• AED access
• emergency action plans
• cardiac screening
• athlete safety
• health equity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Seattle Seahawks, UW Center for Sports Cardiology