2023 Coachella Valley Heart & Stroke Walk

It was a typical practice for the sports loving middle schooler. But just minutes into warm-ups, Javion’s life was changed forever when he collapsed to the ground and entered sudden cardiac arrest.

His coaches took immediate action by calling 9-1-1, beginning chest compressions, and using an AED to shock his heart back into rhythm. According to bystanders, Javion was unresponsive for approximately 10 minutes but, with the help of his coaches and first responders, Javion’s life was saved that day.

Javion spent about 2-weeks in the hospital recovering and was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which can cause the walls of the heart muscle to become thicker than normal, reducing the amount of blood pumped through the body. This condition is often caused by abnormal gene mutations in the heart muscle but, that is not the case for Javion as he does not have this gene.

Although he can no longer play contact sports like basketball and football, Javion is still able to pursue his love of sports and plays competitive baseball. Today, he practices a heart healthy lifestyle by staying active, eating a healthy diet, and getting quality sleep.

"I’m thankful that my coaches knew the steps to save my life” shared Javion Jones. “I’m proud to stand up and share my story, and to encourage others to do what they can to help save even more lives."

Our hands can do so many things, the most important of which may be saving someone’s life. Performing Hands-Only CPR can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival. That is why the American Heart Association is on a mission to help have someone in every household learn CPR. Every dollar raised means more science that leads to medical breakthroughs and more people trained in CPR.

It only takes a few steps to save lives like Javion.

Sign up for the Heart Walk, step out, and share your personal why.