2026 Merit Award Winner

Émilie Audette

In September 2025, Émilie Audette, Certified AT, was covering a youth high school football game in Trois-Rivières when she responded to a “fist in the air” distress call late in the game. Arriving quickly to assist a student athletic therapist, Émilie assessed a 12-year-old player who was unresponsive and confirmed he was pulseless. She immediately directed activation of the Emergency Action Plan, had the athlete’s equipment cut away for chest access, instructed one responder to call 911 and another to retrieve the AED, and began CPR with ventilations. Within minutes, the AED arrived and a shock was delivered, with Émilie and the student therapist working seamlessly in full emergency response mode. By the time paramedics arrived, the athlete had been resuscitated and stabilized due to their rapid and decisive actions, and was transported for further care. Émilie later reflected that she went straight into “response mode,” relying on her training and preparation, and after ensuring the athlete was safely in care, she returned to support those around her and continue her responsibilities on the field.