Angel City defender Savy King has been released from the hospital and is now recovering at home after undergoing successful heart surgery. This marks a significant step in her recovery process, which began about a week after she experienced a medical emergency during a match against the Utah Royals.
“Savy King was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center yesterday, May 17, and is home with her family resting comfortably,” Angel City announced in a statement on Sunday. “On behalf of Angel City FC and Savy’s family, we are incredibly grateful for the expert medical attention she received from the world-class professionals at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in coordination with our team’s medical staff. Angel City is fully prepared to support Savy as she continues her recovery.”
King also shared her first public comments since the incident, posting photos from the hospital on Instagram on Sunday and expressing deep gratitude for the outpouring of support.
“I am still searching for the right words to express just how much your love and support have meant to me over these past few days,” King wrote. “What I know for sure is that I wouldn`t be navigating this without my amazing family by my side, my incredible teammates who have been there for me and prayed for me, the fans, the entire soccer community, and the outstanding medical team here at ACFC who saved my life and cared for me every step of the way. I trust in God`s plan for me and I am eagerly looking forward to recovering and getting back out on the field!”
King collapsed during the second half of Angel City`s 2-0 victory over the Royals on May 9. After receiving medical attention on the field for roughly 10 minutes, she was substituted out of the game and subsequently transported to a Los Angeles area hospital. She was later diagnosed with a heart abnormality and successfully underwent surgery to correct it on Tuesday.
Many, including Royals head coach Jimmy Coenraets and USWNT and Washington Spirit star Trinity Rodman, criticized the NWSL`s decision not to stop the match following the medical event. Rodman specifically commented on Instagram the next day that “in no scenario should that game have continued.”
The NWSL Players Association advocated for an updated policy requiring games to be halted in instances where a player requires life-saving care, as King did.
“If player safety is truly the highest priority, then I question what other considerations could possibly be at play in a situation involving life-saving measures,” stated NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke in an interview with Attacking Third. “We are making this overly complicated. This is a very clear-cut decision. Life-saving interventions on the field to revive or stabilize a player – or coach or referee – should necessitate stopping the game… and this is precisely why the players are demanding a clear, unambiguous rule.”
The NWSL ultimately acknowledged on Friday that the match should not have resumed and confirmed a change in their protocol moving forward.
“After reviewing our procedures and their implementation, and taking into account feedback from our stakeholders, the Angel City vs. Utah game last Friday night should not have been allowed to continue, and we regret that it did,” the NWSL stated. “The health and safety of everyone in the NWSL community remains our top priority, and in any similar situation in the future, the game should and will be stopped.”
King remained a focal point as Angel City played again on Saturday. Her teammates arrived at their match against Bay FC wearing black shirts emblazoned with “SK3,” representing her initials and jersey number. Bay FC`s starting players also wore these shirts briefly before kickoff.
NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman attended the match, which Bay FC won 2-0, and described King`s medical emergency as a moment for the league to learn and improve during an exchange with reporters.
“As we analyzed the situation and regrouped internally, we naturally concluded that the game should not have continued, and we are committed – and remain committed – to ensuring that in any comparable situation moving forward, it will not happen again,” Berman stated on Saturday. “Every season provides us an opportunity to learn and improve, and that is what we are dedicated to doing going forward.”
