When professional soccer player Savy King collapsed during a National Women’s Soccer League match in May, quick action by medical staff played a crucial role in her survival and recovery. King, a defender for Angel City FC (ACFC), recounted the incident: “I knew something wasn’t right, and the best thing to do was to sit down so that I could get the medical attention I needed.”
During the game, King attempted to kick a ball but soon lost consciousness. She was experiencing a heart attack at just 20 years old. ACFC physicians Tracy Zaslow, MD, and Rachel Triche, MD of Cedars-Sinai, along with head athletic trainer Hollie Walusz, responded immediately. Walusz performed CPR on the field before King was transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for emergency surgery.
At Cedars-Sinai, cardiologist Seth Lichtenstein, MD reviewed scans of King’s heart and found that one of her coronary arteries had an extremely narrow opening. “Her left coronary artery was so narrow that it was unable to deliver blood to the heart effectively,” Lichtenstein said.
King was diagnosed with an anomalous left coronary artery—a rare congenital condition affecting fewer than 1% of people. According to Richard W. Kim, MD, director of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery at Cedars-Sinai: “This congenital lesion can be especially dangerous. It can lead to a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, or even sudden death.” Kim led the surgical team that created a new pathway for blood flow to King’s heart.
After six weeks of home physical therapy following surgery, King entered cardiac rehabilitation at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute. For three months she exercised under medical supervision while her heart rate and rhythm were closely monitored.
Reflecting on her experience in rehab alongside other patients recovering from cardiac events, King said: “I remember talking to one woman who kept saying she was so happy to see that even after you have surgery, you can still go about life and be happy.”
King credited ACFC’s partnership with Cedars-Sinai for ensuring expert care during her emergency. Zaslow noted the importance of CPR training beyond professional sports: “In this case, we had trained personnel ready to respond, but what if something like this happens somewhere else, like a kid’s soccer field or even an airport?”
Recent tests show King’s new artery pathway is functioning well. She has resumed workouts with teammates and hopes to return soon to competitive play. “I had to trust the process and know that everything I’m doing is for the greater purpose of being on the field again,” King said.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is located in Los Angeles and has been operating since 1902. Led by President Thomas M. Priselac, it serves as both a treatment center—with over 50,000 admissions reported in 2022—and as a teaching hospital with specialized pediatric care (https://www.cedars-sinai.org/).
