Former Gamecocks star’s brush with death fuels new mission and a push to protect Fort Mill lives
When Connor Shaw wore No. 14 for the South Carolina Gamecocks, he was nearly impossible to beat. Starting at quarterback from 2011 through 2013, Shaw finished with a 27-5 career record as a starter, including a perfect 17-0 mark at home, a legacy that earned him the title of the greatest quarterback in program history, according to coach Steve Spurrier himself.
But the story Shaw wants to tell these days has nothing to do with football records.
On September 17, 2025, Shaw collapsed into sudden cardiac arrest while coaching his son’s flag football game at Gracely Park in Simpsonville. He had been celebrating with his team after they scored when he began feeling nauseous, handed his playbook to an assistant coach, and collapsed. A Simpsonville firefighter named Caleb Carter, coaching his own son’s team on the same field, rushed over and performed CPR for five minutes until responders arrived with an AED and used it to restore Shaw’s heart rhythm.
According to the American Heart Association, more than 400,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest each year. Patients who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital have only a 10% chance of surviving, but CPR or an AED can double or triple those odds. Shaw is living proof.
Shaw’s wife was eight months pregnant at the time. The couple has since welcomed their fourth child. The experience transformed him. Out of it was born HRThudl, a mission Shaw describes as a platform to share survivor stories and spread faith, with the defibrillator heartbeat woven right into the name and logo.
On Thursday, May 28, Shaw brings that testimony to Fort Mill when First Baptist Church Fort Mill Men’s Ministry hosts him as the featured guest speaker at its quarterly dinner event. The evening kicks off at 6:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at FBC Fort Mill. Attendees will enjoy Chick-fil-A meal boxes, hear Shaw share his story firsthand, and have the chance to connect with other men in the community. A photo and autograph session with Shaw follows the program.
The event carries a meaningful charitable component: all proceeds will go toward installing AEDs in the Fort Mill community, the very type of device that saved Shaw’s life on that September afternoon in Simpsonville.
Registration is required for the meal. Early registration through May 1 is $15 per person. Standard registration runs May 2 through May 21 at $20 per person. To register, scan the QR code on the event flyer or visit the First Baptist Church Fort Mill website.
It promises to be an evening of great food, great fellowship and a story that just might save a life.
