Oviedo native Jenny Simpson discharged after cardiac arrest scare
Jenny Simpson was back out of the hospital after a cardiac arrest during a Raleigh mile workout, a scare that underscored how fast CPR and an AED can save lives.
Jenny Simpson was discharged from the hospital after collapsing during a track event in Raleigh, North Carolina, and receiving CPR and an AED shock on the track before she was rushed for further treatment. Fleet Feet said the Oviedo native is recovering.
The episode unfolded June 17 during the Sir Walter Pop Up Miles event, a recurring Raleigh-area mile series run by Sir Walter Running. Organizers thanked first responders, EMS, and medical professionals for their quick response after the cardiac arrest interrupted what had been a paced mile group.
For Seminole County families who spend spring and summer evenings at road races, school meets, and community athletic events, Simpson’s recovery puts a hard focus on a simple question: whether AEDs and trained responders are close enough when an athlete goes down. The American Heart Association says CPR can double or triple the chance of survival during cardiac arrest, and that an AED shock in the first minute is linked to very high survival.
Simpson’s ties to Oviedo run deep. She attended Oviedo High School, where she became a five-time state champion in track and a three-time state champion in cross country, and the school renamed its track in her honor in 2018. She has said her running journey began in Orlando, where she got her first pair of running shoes at Track Shack.
Her national profile made the news travel fast beyond Central Florida. Team USA identifies Simpson as a three-time Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist in the women’s 1500 meters, and she won gold in the event at the 2011 World Championships. Fleet Feet named Simpson its inaugural chief running officer on Feb. 12, 2026, putting her in a role tied to running communities, training programs, and brand partnerships.
The same athlete who once carried Oviedo onto the world stage was back on the track when the emergency hit. This time, the fast on-scene response and hospital care ended with Simpson discharged and recovering, a result local runners will read as both a relief and a warning about preparedness.
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