The football standout and track athlete was working out near his high school when something suddenly went wrong. He later died at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.
On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation inspired by Sherrod and Brandon James of South Brunswick -- both of whom died from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- aiming to prevent the rising number of sudden cardiac arrest incidents among students.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.) after nearly a decade-long quest to improve sudden cardiac arrest training in schools. It passed with bipartisan support in a voice vote and now moves to the U.S. Senate, where it has not been introduced.
Pallone told NJ Advance Media in December the bill was inspired by the tragic deaths of Sherrod and James.
Their deaths motivated the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee to author the HEARTS Act to ensure schools are equipped with life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs), Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs), and CPR training for staff and students.
"The HEARTS Act will raise awareness about the causes of sudden cardiac arrest and ensure schools are more prepared to deal with cardiac emergencies so we can save lives," Pallone said Monday in remarks on the House floor. "We cannot afford to delay. This is about saving young lives."
Pallone first proposed the legislation in 2015, but his efforts stalled for nearly a decade before an amended bill -- which asks Congress to authorize $25 million annually for four years to fund research and education -- advanced thanks to endorsements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation, the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.
The HEARTS Act would mandate AEDs be available in schools and child care centers and that students, staff, and sports volunteers receive critical CPR and AED training. A federal grant program would be established to ensure schools can access the funding needed to develop and distribute educational materials on cardiomyopathy to parents, students, teachers and coaches, according to Pallone.
"I introduced the HEARTS Act because too many young people are tragically dying from sudden cardiac arrest..." Pallone said Monday in a statement. "The HEARTS Act ensures that schools have the AEDs, training, and resources needed to act swiftly during a cardiac emergency."
Razeenah Walker, president of The Kittim N. Sherrod Foundation, said the educational push is critical since cardiomyopathy, the condition that took her grandson's life, is often silent until a fatal cardiac event. An estimated 2,000 Americans under the age of 25 die from sudden cardiac arrest each year, according to the CDC.
HCM, commonly known as an enlarged heart, is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in people under 30. Athletes comprise 20% of all HCM-related deaths in the United States, studies show.
Health officials say it can be combated if detected early. Warning signs include palpitations, a racing heart, dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, fainting and chest discomfort. But symptoms do not always appear before an incident occurs.
"Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a public health crisis," said Mary Newman, president of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. "It strikes 356,000 people a year in the U.S., including 23,000 youth. Enacting this legislation will undoubtedly help improve the current survival rate of (less than) 10 percent not only in schools, but also in communities."