Rafe Maccarone Access to AED Act Expected to be Signed into Law After Bipartisan Congressional Effort

bill Filed by Congressman Bill Posey and Alfred Lawson

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA—“Who We Play For” (WWPF), a local nonprofit started soon after Cocoa Beach High School student Rafe Maccarone’s sudden cardiac arrest, will soon see its efforts pay off as the Rafe Maccarone Act—Access to AED Act—is expected to be signed into law in the very near future.

U.S. Congressman Bill Posey and U.S. Congressman Alfred Lawson filed the Rafe Maccarone Act—Access to AED Act in 2019 and again in 2022.

After Congressman Lawson left Congress, it was filed again in March 2023 with Congressman Posey as co-lead, along with U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormack on the bipartisan bill.

Shawn Sima, Impact Director for WWPF told me, “We all know, after Damar Hamlin survived sudden death on the football field, sudden cardiac arrest started to get on everybody’s radar. Thankfully for us, the American Heart Association and the NFL amongst others took the co-lead on the bill with Who We Play For and have done a masterful job leading us to hopefully the finish.”

The House of Representatives unanimously passed the bill in September, and after fighting for over a year and a half, it will be heard on the Senate floor this week. After that, the bill will go to the President for his signature.

Sima said, “We are incredibly proud that our county has become the home of Sudden Cardiac Prevention in the entire United States.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018,  Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 25 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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