Student-athlete who survived cardiac arrest, local lawmaker push to get AEDs at all athletic fields

High-profile cardiac arrests, like Damar Hamlin’s, have really brought the importance of life-saving skills to the spotlight.

The average person has the capability of saving a life with CPR and an AED, as long as one is near. There’s a renewed push to make sure they’re on every athletic field that kids in Pennsylvania play on.

Spencer Davis is alive because there was an AED on his field in Hollidaysburg, about 2 hours east of Pittsburgh. He plays football for Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School.

“It was my best game,” recalled the sophomore. He rolled into the next practice a few days later last September and “I took a hit over my chest, over my heart during a punt drill.”

Spencer’s life changed in an instant.

That blow hit at the exact moment to throw his heart out of rhythm and into cardiac arrest.

“When I got there, I went right to his head and was like ‘Spence, I’m here, hang on,’” Jennifer Davis, Spencer’s mom, said.

She says his coaches started CPR but it was the AED that she and her son agree saved his life.

The athletic trainer in the Hollidaysburg Area School District had a portable AED on her cart and got there within the three-minute window recommended to save Spencer.

But Spencer is in the minority.

The American Heart Association says AEDs are used only 10% of the time when a cardiac arrest happens outside a hospital.

Immediate CPR and an AED can double or triple the survival rate.

Pennsylvania doesn’t have any requirements for AEDs to be present on sports fields or games.

But state Representative Tim Brennan is trying to change that. He’s introduced a bill, for the second session in a row, to put AEDs at all interscholastic sporting events.

“To save a human life is worth the cost of preparation and this is a bill that will save lives,” said Rep. Brennan, (D) Bucks County.

The average cost of an AED is $1,000-$3,000.

But Representative Brennan says the state may be able to get school districts a better rate, the Hearts Act can give schools money for AEDs, and there are groups that raise funds to help cover the cost of them.

Representative Brennan’s AED bill is in the education committee of the PA House.

After he was well enough to leave UPMC Children’s Hospital, Spencer was diagnosed with commotio cordis, the same rare heart event that Damar Hamlin had.

“He was doing it,” said Spencer. “He was living life and doing everything he wanted to.”

The two heart patients met at Damar’s annual toy drive in December.

Inspired by Hamlin, Spencer said “I wanted to make a change. I wanted to help others.”

Spencer and his family have now made it their mission to educate people about the importance of CPR and especially AEDs. His newly formed foundation in his name aims to raise money to help groups pay for AEDs. Here’s a link to it: https://thespencerdavisfoundation.org/

“We’re very fortunate that she (the athletic trainer) had that AED on her cart. Had she had to go unlock the building, Spencer’s outcome could have been a lot different,” said mom, Jennifer.

“Spencer was saved by non-medical professionals,” said dad, David Davis. “Go out and get trained. Go out and learn how to use an AED.”

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group