PORT ST. JOE, Fla. — Who We Play For (WWPF), a Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to eliminating preventable sudden cardiac death in youth, hosted a community celebration Thursday in honor of the newly signed Second Chance Act. The law in memory of Port St. Joe football player Chance Gainer requires Florida high school athletes to undergo a preventative electrocardiogram (ECG) screening before participating in sports activities.
The Second Chance Act was officially signed into law on June 25 and the event included free CPR practice for dozens of community members, students and families.
“This community is like no other, from the day my son died, they’ve wrapped their arms around me and my family,” Equilar Gainer said. “Looking around the room, you can still see the love, people wearing Chance shirts, signing their kids up to take CPR, it means the world to me.”
Gainer called the Second Chance Act and events like these a powerful way to turn tragedy into purpose.
“Early detection saves lives. And if even one life is saved from this, that’s enough for me,” she said. “These kids are young, but you never know when someone might pass out in front of them. Just signing your child up for CPR could be the difference.”
Jarrod Wester, Gulf County EMS Captain, led the training and walked participants through both CPR instruction and critical early-response techniques.
“One of the biggest things we always do to begin with is make sure people understand where they’re at,the dynamics of their environment and situation,” Wester said. “We try to make sure that they are safe, that they’re approaching a situation safely, and that they know how to contact 911. That’s a big portion of it.”
He emphasized that the key to saving lives is simplicity and quick action.
“CPR used to be really complicated, and that scared people away, but that time gap, when you wait, that’s when lives are lost,” Wester said. “The biggest thing we try to get across is: there’s no wrong way. Push hard. Push fast.”
Wester said many CPR courses are easily accessible and range from non-certified community classes to professional licenses for health care providers.
Port St. Joe head football coach Tanner Jones said the event is a critical reminder of what’s at stake—and how far the school and staff have come in prioritizing safety.
“I do CPR training every year, but when you’re in that situation, you don’t know how you will react,” Jones said. ” I think what they’re doing now is a step in the right direction, where, hopefully, a tragedy doesn’t happen again.”
For Equilar Gainer, that kind of awareness and preparedness is what defines her son’s legacy.
“I know in my heart many lives will be saved,” she said. “But even if just one is saved, that’s what we fight for.”
Banji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Chance Gainer’s legacy remembered through Second Chance Act
Reporting by Banji Bamidele, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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