Damar Hamlin and Dr. Mike Varshavski trained 1,293 people [1] in hands-only CPR within one hour to set a Guinness World Record.
The event aims to increase bystander CPR rates and promote life-saving skills among the general public. By leveraging the high visibility of the NFL Draft, the organizers sought to raise awareness for the American Heart Association's mission to improve cardiac arrest survival rates.
The record-setting event took place on April 8, 2026 [2], in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The training occurred at the venue hosting the 2026 NFL Draft [3].
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin partnered with Varshavski and the American Heart Association to lead the session. The group focused on hands-only CPR, a simplified version of the procedure designed to be accessible to those without formal medical training.
Organizers said the goal was to encourage more people to act during emergencies. The effort combined the influence of professional sports and medical expertise to reach a large crowd in a condensed timeframe.
Guinness World Records verified that 1,293 participants [1] completed the training within the 60-minute window. This achievement marks the most people trained in hands-only CPR in that specific time frame.
“1,293 people were trained in hands-only CPR within one hour”
This initiative utilizes high-profile athletic and medical figures to lower the barrier to entry for emergency medical training. By focusing on hands-only CPR, the campaign addresses the common psychological hurdle of bystander hesitation, potentially increasing survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
