Sam Yates Foundation continues its life-saving work

Published 10:20 am Wednesday, November 12, 2025

On Nov. 4, the Sam Yates Community Foundation presented a heart screening event at Vashon High School, staffed by 17 volunteers and three cardiologists who gave electrocardiogram (EKG) screenings to 125 students.

It was the inaugural event presented exclusively by the local foundation, after a limited screening of 36 athletes and students in May.

The foundation was created by John and Jill Yates and their son, Wyatt Yates, to honor the memory of Sam Yates, who died of sudden cardiac arrest in 2022.

Sam’s death occurred after he had gone for a run following a day of training at Marine Corps Base Quantico Station, just days shy of the graduation ceremony for his officers class at The Basic School. He was 24.

Since its founding, the Yates Foundation has worked to prevent more loss of life from sudden cardiac arrest through education and the placement of accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on Vashon — especially in schools and sports settings, including district fields, parks and places where athletes of all ages play sports.

In December 2023, the foundation was a partner in a major heart screening event at the high school presented by the Nick of Time Foundation — a much larger, nationally known organization based in Mill Creek, Washington.

The Nov. 4 screening event at VHS followed the same format, with participating students having their height, weight and blood pressure taken and a cardiac physical, followed by an EKG. The students also attended CPR and AED instruction by Vashon Fire & Rescue, and then sat one-on-one with a cardiologist who reviewed their EKGs and made necessary recommendations.

Two students who participated in the screening were found to need further follow-up and were offered referrals for appointments with specialists.

Jill Yates described the day as an important one for her family and the community.

“The day of the screening was an emotional one for our family, but it was also a day to celebrate Sam’s life, his lasting legacy and the lives saved and protected in his name,” she said.

Sudden cardiac arrest

According to the American Heart Association, people often confuse cases of sudden cardiac arrest with heart attacks.

“A heart attack is when blood flow to the heart is blocked,” the association’s website explains. “Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating. A heart attack is a ‘circulation’ problem, and sudden cardiac arrest is an ‘electrical’ problem.”

Sudden cardiac arrest can affect people of all ages but is the leading cause of death in young athletes, according to the National Institutes of Health. Each year, approximately 2,000 people under age 25 die from the condition in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The Nick of Time Foundation describes sudden cardiac arrest as the leading cause of death in “exercising and ‘at play’ young people,” emphasizing that it can occur across broad groups of active youth, whether or not they participate in organized sports.

For islanders, the loss and grief caused by the condition extend beyond statistics. In recent years, sudden cardiac arrest has claimed the lives of not only Sam Yates but also another beloved island young adult, Andrew Walker.

Andrew, who was raised on Vashon and had been coached by John Yates in baseball and basketball, died on May 28, 2023, at age 23. He had just graduated from Boise State University when he collapsed near the finish line while running his first marathon.

Jill Yates said her family’s work to prevent more such heartbreaking losses will continue.

“Every heart screening that detects an undiagnosed condition, every AED placed in our community, and every person trained in CPR and AED use carries forward the mission of the Sam Yates Community Foundation,” she said.

Yates urged businesses, organizations and individuals with AEDs to make sure their devices are in working order.

“Check your home or work AEDs to ensure that batteries and pads have not expired,” she said. “Most need to be replaced every couple of years. Look for the expiration date on both items and replace if indicated.”

To find out more about the Sam Yates Foundation, and see a map of AED locations on Vashon, visit thumbsupfoundation.org.