George Sullivan
A Shared Commitment to Health and Preparedness is Transforming Cleveland’s Neighborhoods
When George Sullivan looks around his community in Cleveland, he sees the potential for lifesaving change. He knows that with the right resources and knowledge, ordinary people can become heroes in critical moments. That belief led him to partner with the American Heart Association to expand CPR awareness and preparedness in Cleveland and beyond.
Heart disease has left its mark on George’s family. When his mother needed a quadruple bypass, it was a wake-up call. Watching her fight through surgery and recovery deepened his understanding of just how urgent the battle against cardiovascular disease is. As the number one killer of Americans, heart disease takes too many lives - but George is determined to help change that.
George is a longstanding Cor Vitae Society member and a key supporter of the Cleveland Heart Walk, having served as Heart Walk Chair twice. His involvement has helped rally others to the cause, raising awareness and bringing the community together to fight heart disease. To him, the Heart Walk is more than just an event - it’s a chance to honor survivors, remember loved ones, inspire action and ignite a community.
CPR training is especially close to George’s heart. He believes in the power of a single person to save a life if they have the knowledge and confidence to act. Across the nation, more than 350,000 people experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year, and data shows that Black and Hispanic people are less likely to receive CPR in emergencies. Through his generous gift, George has directly increased CPR awareness and emergency response readiness in four local Cleveland churches serving predominantly Black communities. His support helped enable AHA’s local community impact team to purchase AEDs and provide credentialed CPR training for the churches’ members. These churches are trusted community hubs, offering essential services such as food assistance, health screenings and support programs, and now are able to help train community members in lifesaving CPR.
Recognizing their deep ties and influence, George’s support allowed AHA staff partners to work closely with the churches’ pastors to address the pressing health needs of their congregations. Together, they wrote Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs) to ensure that each church has a structured plan in place for cardiac emergencies, increasing awareness in the communities they serve. These churches, already pillars of strength in their neighborhoods, are now ensuring more people are prepared to act when seconds matter.
What excites George most about supporting the American Heart Association is its ability to create change on multiple levels. He sees the impact globally, nationally, and most importantly, in his own community.
“The AHA is making a difference everywhere, but I love that I can see the impact right here in Cleveland,” he says. “That’s why I’m proud to be part of this mission. We can all play a role in making a difference.”