WAUKESHA, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers signed the Kai 11 bill into law Tuesday in an effort to promote awareness and understanding of sudden cardiac arrest in student athletes.

The bill was signed at Waukesha North High School and is named after student athlete Kai Lermer, who died in 2019 of cardiac arrest while playing basketball. He had an undiagnosed heart condition. 

The law will require high schools and other sports programs to provide information about sudden cardiac arrest and it will also give parents the opportunity to have an EKG test done on their child before taking part in sports.

The bill received bipartisan support.

Michael Lermer, Kai’s father, worked countless hours to spread awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and pushed to get the Kai 11 Bill signed into law. The number 11 was the athlete’s jersey number in football and basketball. 

“If you have a [young adult] between the ages of 12 and 20 every other year, that is a growing heart and you should be having an EKG done,” Michael Lermer said.

Even though he is no longer with his family, they know this law will help save lives.

“The goal is to prevent what happened to us. We are going to do that through educating and EKG testing and even getting AEDs in police cars,” said Pam Lermer, Kai’s mother. 

She described her son as a very sweet, funny and appreciative kid. His father described him as fun, loving and inspirational, who was also a triathlete and was loved by all the students at Waukesha North High School.

For more on Kai 11, visit https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/proposals/ab82.