Savy King’s inspiring return to the pitch has earned national recognition with a nomination for Best Comeback Athlete at the 2026 ESPYS. The nomination honors her resilience following a life threatening cardiac event, her return to professional soccer, and the impact she continues to make through Savy King of Hearts by advancing CPR awareness and heart health advocacy.

In this Women’s Health feature, Savy King shares the story of her cardiac arrest, the long road back to professional soccer, and how the experience changed her perspective on life. From her return to the pitch to the launch of Savy King of Hearts, she reflects on her commitment to helping others learn the lifesaving skill of CPR. It’s a story about finding purpose after adversity and using a second chance to make a lasting difference.

Angel City FC and the NWSL named Savy King as the club’s nominee for the 2026 Lauren Holiday Impact Award, recognizing players who demonstrate exceptional leadership, service, and commitment to their communities.

King was nominated for her work through Savy King of Hearts, the nonprofit she founded following her life-threatening cardiac event in 2025 that focuses on CPR & AED education, and heart health advocacy.

In this feature, ESPN follows Savy’s journey from a life-threatening cardiac event to her return to the pitch, capturing the hardest moments of her recovery, the reality of starting over, and the strength it took to keep going. It also shows how this experience continues to shape her purpose and her commitment to raising awareness around CPR and heart health. We are so grateful for how thoughtfully ESPN told her story.

Savy King made her return to the pitch after more than 10 months, in Angel City FC’s 4–0 win over Chicago Stars FC at BMO Stadium. It marked her first appearance since May 2025, when she experienced a cardiac event during a match that led to open heart surgery.

Savy King was featured as a Hometown Hero on CBS News Sports Central, sharing her story and why CPR awareness matters. This work is personal, and the mission is simple. More people trained. More lives saved.

In this conversation on The Women’s Game with Sam Mewis, Savy opens up about her journey to Angel City FC, what it means to play for her hometown, and how her recovery shaped the launch of her new nonprofit, Savy King of Hearts.

Ali Riley and Sydney Leroux sit down with Savy King to talk about her life growing up in Southern California, the unique bond she shares with her twin brother, and the love and support she’s always received from her parents.

Savy reconnected with the Cedars-Sinai team to reflect on her on-field collapse, the lifesaving care she received, and how she is channeling her recovery into a mission to protect hearts and save lives.