WORTHINGTON, Ohio — All Ohio public schools and recreational centers will soon have AEDs after Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 47 into law.

The signing ceremony was at Worthington Kilbourne High School, where an incoming sophomore went into sudden cardiac arrest about a year ago.

16-year-old Canen Dickman survived due to his coach's quick thinking, CPR, and use of an AED. He collapsed during soccer practice on the track.

"It feels surreal," said Canen. "I had never thought I would be here. Never could have expected something like this, and even after the event happened, I never knew it would blossom to something like this big. But I’m really grateful that it all came together this way, and I got to meet a lot of great people."

The bill also tasks the Ohio Department of Health to create an emergency action plan for schools to put into place. It also requires AED training for coaches and teachers.

"For us, today is about gratitude," said Pamela Dickman, Canen's mom. "It has been a year since we almost lost Canen."

"I’m a lot more grateful in everything I do," Canen said.

Canen experienced the same medical emergency as Buffalo Bills Safety Damar Hamlin during an NFL game in Cincinnati.

A retired Bengals Head Athletic Trainer, Paul Sparling, was at the signing event. He said he was on the sidelines when Hamlin went into cardiac arrest.

"We rehearse those scenarios every year, multiple times a year, and in 30 years, we had never ever had anything like that happen, and to see it happen on national television right at Paycor Stadium, and to see ultimately the successful outcome was just very, very rewarding, and it was a team effort," Sparling said.

While Hamlin could not be at the event Tuesday due to training, he sent a letter to Sparling to read.

"In the words of Damar, I call that ability to save someone in need a superpower," Sparling read. "I’ll always consider Ohio my second home and where I got a second chance at life."

Unfortunately, not everyone gets that second chance.

Browns player and former Buckeye Denzel Ward lost his dad due to cardiac arrest. His mom was at the event to share his story. She said Ward's dad fell off an exercise bike during a spin class and was rushed to the hospital.

"No one effectively performed CPR, and no one used an AED," she said. "After I returned back to the facility, I counted the steps. It was only 32 steps away. And I can ask the question as to why? But I’m not going to do that because there can be a lot of reasons why."

She said cardiac arrest does not need to be a death sentence because AEDs should be accessible and used to save lives.

ABC Channel 6 News