In memory of Chase Morris  ·  1996 — 2013

Every heartbeat
is worth
protecting.

On May 20, 2013, sixteen-year-old Chase Morris — an honor student, athlete, and son — went to bed and did not wake up. An undiagnosed enlarged heart took him in seconds. The foundation that bears his name exists so that other Oklahoma families never receive the call we received.

We raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in young people, partner with cardiologists to provide heart screenings to Oklahoma students, and champion the state law that carries Chase's name.

Chase Morris, age 16
The scale of the problem
~2,000
young people in the United States die of sudden cardiac arrest each year.Centers for Disease Control & Prevention →
1 in 300
young persons is estimated to be at risk for sudden cardiac arrest from an undetected condition.Harmon KG et al., Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2014 →
Up to 80%
of children who suffer sudden cardiac arrest had no prior symptoms or warning.Drezner JA et al., J Am Board Fam Med 2012 →
10% / minute
is how quickly the chance of survival drops for every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation.American Heart Association →
Who Chase was

A son. An athlete. A scholar. A friend.

Michael Chase Morris was born July 1, 1996, the second of three brothers in a close-knit Oklahoma family. He played football, basketball, and baseball before discovering the sport that would define his high school years — tennis, where he placed sixth in the Oklahoma state doubles tournament just two weeks before his death.

Chase died the night of May 20, 2013, after a full day of school and athletic activities. At sixteen years old, six-foot-two, one hundred and fifty-two pounds, he seemed by every measure to be a healthy young athlete. An autopsy revealed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — an enlarged heart — that had never been diagnosed.

The condition that took him is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in young athletes in the United States. With a screening protocol that includes an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram, it is also one of the most consistently detectable.

"What's worth doing in life is worth doing with passion." — Chase Morris
Read Chase's full story →
Explore

The work we do, in his name.

Education

Understanding Sudden Cardiac Arrest

What it is, how it differs from a heart attack, the warning signs that often go unrecognized, and what every parent and coach should know.
Prevention

Heart Screenings for Student Athletes

A protocol built on the international Seattle Criteria — electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and on-site cardiologist consultation. Free for Oklahoma students.
Legislation

The Chase Morris Act

Signed into Oklahoma law in 2015 and strengthened in 2024, the Act bearing Chase's name protects every student athlete in the state.
Medicine

Our Medical Advisors

Board-certified pediatric cardiology, sports medicine, and the international authors of the screening protocols we follow — guiding every decision the foundation makes.
Remembrance

In Memory

Chase's story, and the stories of other young Oklahomans whose families have stood beside ours.
About Us

The Foundation

How we began in the months after Chase's death, what we have built since, and the family that runs it.
If you see this — act

Warning signs that should never be ignored

Sudden cardiac arrest sometimes gives warning. In a young person, do not dismiss any of the following — and do not let a coach or trainer dismiss them either:

  • — Fainting or seizure during or just after physical activity
  • — Chest pain or pressure with exertion
  • — Unexplained shortness of breath or unusual fatigue with exercise
  • — Racing or fluttering heartbeat at rest
  • — A family history of sudden, unexplained death before age 50

Any of these signs in a young person warrants evaluation by a cardiologist. Do not wait for the next physical.

Source: National Institutes of Health; American Heart Association.