Savannah DeMelo Sues Kentucky Hospital for Negligence After Cardiac Arrest

Savannah DeMelo, a rising figure in the United States women’s national team setup, has filed a negligence lawsuit against a Kentucky hospital and two of its doctors after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch last year.

The 28-year-old Racing Louisville midfielder, capped seven times by the USA, collapsed during the first half of a National Women's Soccer League match on 14 September 2025. She has not played since.

The case, seen in court documents, was lodged on Tuesday morning with Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, exactly one year and one day after her on-field collapse. DeMelo is suing University of Louisville Health (UofL Health), along with Dr Sarabjeet Suri and Dr Jennifer Daily.

In the filing, DeMelo alleges that UofL Health and the two doctors "failed to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice, and such negligence was a substantial factor in causing DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest."

Dr Daily is listed on her UofL Health biography as Racing Louisville's chief medical officer. According to the lawsuit, DeMelo was under Dr Daily’s care from January 2024 through July 2026.

The complaint outlines a crucial timeline. In March 2025, DeMelo reported chest pain, dizziness and shortness of breath. Dr Daily then referred her to Dr Suri for "evaluation and treatment". The filing says Dr Suri took a medical history, performed a physical examination and ordered diagnostic tests.

Nearly six months later, DeMelo went into cardiac arrest during the NWSL match.

"She was subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia [an abnormal heart rhythm]," the lawsuit states.

DeMelo has spent her entire professional career with Racing Louisville and was on an upward trajectory before the incident. She was selected for the USA squad at the 2023 Women's World Cup and started the team’s first two matches of the tournament.

On Tuesday, she marked the anniversary of her collapse with a post on Instagram, reflecting publicly on the ordeal.

"A year ago today, while playing soccer, I collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, that caused me to go into cardiac arrest," she wrote.

"I respect and appreciate the privacy everyone has met me with while going through everything I have this year. I'll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been. There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all."

The legal battle now runs alongside the central question of her career: whether one of the NWSL’s brightest midfield talents will ever step back onto the pitch.