US footballer sues hospital after heart attack on the field

Savannah DeMelo, a player for the United States women's national soccer team, is suing a hospital and two doctors. This follows a heart attack she had during a National Women’s Soccer League match last year.

DeMelo, who is 28 years old, filed the lawsuit against University of Louisville Health, Dr Sarabjeet Suri, and Dr Jennifer Daily. She took the case to Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, where her team, Racing Louisville, is located.

Court documents reveal that DeMelo claims the defendants “failed to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice.” She believes their negligence was “a substantial factor in causing DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest.”

DeMelo collapsed in the first half of the match on September 14, 2025. She has not played since that day.

According to the lawsuit, DeMelo told the doctors she felt chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath before her heart attack. In March 2025, Dr Daily sent her to Dr Suri for “evaluation and treatment.”

The filing states that Dr Suri checked DeMelo’s medical history, did a physical exam, and ordered some tests.

Almost six months later, DeMelo had the heart attack. The lawsuit mentions that she was diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia, which is an abnormal heart rhythm.

Dr Daily is the chief medical officer for Racing Louisville, as noted in her biography from the University of Louisville. The lawsuit says DeMelo was under her care from January 2024 to July 2026.

DeMelo has seven senior appearances for the United States. She was part of the US team for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and played in the first two matches of the tournament.

On the anniversary of her collapse, DeMelo spoke about the incident on Instagram. She said, “A year ago today, while playing soccer, I collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, that caused me to go into cardiac arrest.”

She expressed gratitude for the privacy she received while dealing with her recovery. “I’ll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been,” she wrote. “There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all.”

DeMelo has played her entire professional career with Racing Louisville but has not returned to the game since her heart attack.

The claims in the lawsuit have not been proven in court yet, and the case is still ongoing.