Recognizing that many other youth athletes have not been as fortunate, Oscar’s family felt compelled to act. They created the Oscar Strong Foundation (OSF) to educate and raise awareness about commotio cordis, one of the leading cases of sudden cardiac death in youth athletes.

The foundation aims to inform the community about recognizing and responding to this life-threatening condition, including the importance of prompt recognition, calling 911, performing CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Through the Oscar Strong Foundation, Oscar’s family hopes to make a lasting impact by empowering individuals with the knowledge and resources needed to save lives and reduce the risk of commotio cordis in youth athletes.

Commotio cordis frequently occurs in baseball, hockey, and lacrosse. The Oscar Strong Foundation is dedicated to protecting young athletes by ensuring AEDs are readily accessible at sports venues and educating the community about the importance of CPR. OSF also advocates for using heart-protective gear to enhance safety. OSF’s goal is to prevent incidents of commotio cordis and, if they do occur, to significantly increase survival rates.

The Oscar Strong Foundation was born from a deeply personal and life-changing experience. When six-year-old Oscar experienced commotio cordis during a baseball game, his parents, Sarah and Riley, were thrust into a situation no family should ever face. During the week-long stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), they learned about this rare and often fatal phenomenon.

Miraculously, Oscar beat the odds and survived.