Zia R.

Zia started AEDs for Athletes in ninth grade after a lacrosse teammate collapsed on the field. Along with feeling alarmed and helpless, she felt frustrated that neither herself nor her teammates were prepared to step in to help while waiting for the EMTs to arrive. 

*AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, are portable medical devices that analyze a person's heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm during a sudden cardiac arrest.  

Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in young athletes, yet schools and youth sports programs often lack the tools and training to respond. In the U.S., 23,000 children under 18 experience cardiac arrest each year—and 40% of these incidents are sports-related.  

AEDs for Athletes addresses systemic gaps in cardiac emergency preparedness. Zia and her team don’t just advocate for more devices — they create a culture of readiness. By partnering with schools and sports teams, they’ve launched educational campaigns and integrated training into health classes. Through this initiative, Zia hopes to build a future where life-saving tools and knowledge are considered as essential as the game itself—where students are empowered to protect one another and where youth-led action redefines what safety looks like in schools.