The Feeney Legacy Project was started by a Dunwoody-connected family after losing their brother, and its message is simple: call 911. In Podcast 319, Lia Armistead joined me to talk about her brother Feeney, Georgia’s 911 Amnesty law, hands-only CPR, and the Feeney 5K at Brook Run Park.
The Feeney Legacy Project is a nonprofit that raises awareness of Georgia’s 911 Amnesty and Good Samaritan laws and teaches hands-only CPR. It was founded by the family of Feeney, who died of cardiac arrest in 2022 after a delay in calling 911. Its main fundraiser is the Feeney 5K at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or watch the full episode above.
This One Hits Close to Home
I have recorded more than 300 episodes of this podcast, and most of them are fun. We talk about new restaurants, Dunwoody events, school initiatives, parks, and everything in between. But every once in a while, a conversation feels heavier in a meaningful way.
This was one of those conversations.
Lia Armistead joined me to share the story behind the Feeney Legacy Project, which her family created after her brother passed away in 2022 from cardiac arrest. The part that stays with you is not just the medical emergency. It is the hesitation.
The person he was with was afraid to call 911 because of possible legal consequences. There may have been drugs or alcohol involved. Fear took over. That delay mattered.
Instead of letting that be the end of the story, Lia’s mom and her five sisters decided to build something that could help someone else make a different decision in the same moment.
The kind of hesitation Lia described could happen anywhere. At a graduation party. After a football game. At a friend’s house. And if more people in Dunwoody understand the 911 Amnesty laws before they ever need them, then this story has the potential to change an outcome.
And while writing this, I just took a moment to tell my middle-schooler about these laws. Hopefully he won’t ever be put in that position, but you never know.
The Feeney Legacy Project Mission
The Feeney Legacy Project focuses on two core areas. First, raising awareness about Georgia’s 911 Amnesty and Good Samaritan laws. Second, teaching hands-only CPR.
Most people do not know that Georgia law offers protection when you call 911 for help in an emergency, even if drugs or alcohol are involved. The law is designed to put saving a life first.
But in a high-stress moment, people do not think about statutes. They think about consequences. They freeze. They hesitate.
The Feeney Legacy Project exists to remove that hesitation.
Their message is intentionally direct.
Call 911.
That clarity matters.
They also promote hands-only CPR, which means you call 911 first and then immediately begin chest compressions. No complicated steps. No waiting. Just action. On the podcast I joked that many of us learned the rhythm from The Office tv show, but the reality is this education can save a life at a house party, in a parking lot, or even at a crowded Dunwoody event.
This is practical awareness. Not abstract advocacy. Practical steps that ordinary people can take.
The Billboards You May Have Driven Past
One of the most effective parts of the Feeney Legacy Project has been its billboard campaign along I-85 and I-285.
If you have driven those corridors, you may have seen them.
They are not cluttered with statistics. They are not overloaded with explanation. They simply say Call 911, include a photo of Feeney, and direct you to the website.
That is it.
During the holiday campaign, those billboards generated massive impressions. For a grassroots nonprofit started by a family connected to Dunwoody North, that level of visibility is remarkable.
As someone who thinks constantly about digital reach, SEO, and how people discover information when they are moving to Dunwoody, I respect the simplicity of that strategy. Clear message. High visibility. Let curiosity do the rest.
Sometimes simple is powerful.
The Feeney 5K at Brook Run Park
The 2026 race was held March 8 at the Brook Run Park Amphitheater. It is also an AJC Peachtree Road Race qualifier, which draws serious runners.
Families walk. Kids run ahead of their parents. Dogs tug on leashes. Strollers line up at the start. There are games for children, space to gather, and the kind of relaxed energy you expect at a Dunwoody event.
If you have ever spent a Saturday morning at Brook Run Park watching youth soccer or looping the trail, you already know the vibe. The Feeney 5K taps into that same sense of community.
There is even a virtual option, allowing supporters from outside Georgia, including friends and family in Australia where Lia grew up, to participate.
Local roots. Wider reach.
Mad Italian and the Power of Local Support
Mad Italian, on the edge of Dunwoody and Chamblee, hosted a month-long fundraiser from February 9 through March 9 for the Feeney Legacy Project. Guests could add a donation to their check, grab swag, and scan QR codes to learn more.
Tom and Shannon, who own Mad Italian, are friends of mine and former real estate clients. I originally met them when I recorded a podcast at their old location. That is one of the things I love about doing this show. The relationships stack over time.
If you are making a list of the best restaurants around Dunwoody that consistently show up for local causes, Mad Italian deserves a spot.
Grief, Memory, and Saying His Name
One part of the conversation that really stayed with me was when Lia talked about how people often avoid saying the name of someone who has passed away. They worry about making things worse. They worry about triggering emotion.
But for her family, saying Feeney’s name keeps him present.
The Feeney 5K is not just about fundraising. It is about remembrance. It is about choosing action instead of silence.
If you have been in Dunwoody long enough, you have seen how this community responds in hard seasons. We gather at Brook Run. We show up at Dunwoody High. We help neighbors when their apartment complex burn to the ground. We rally around families in Dunwoody North and Village Mill when something unexpected happens.
That rhythm of community is real.
It is part of why living in Dunwoody feels steady.
The Lesson About Showing Up
If you have followed What’s Up Dunwoody for any length of time, you know I believe in consistency.
The Feeney Legacy Project embodies that.
They did not stop at grief. They built billboards. They organized races. They partnered with local businesses. They continue to educate, and the Legacy grows.
Year after year.
We do not get to choose every circumstance in life. But we do get to choose how we respond.
In this case, a Dunwoody family chose to respond with clarity, education, and action.
That is worth supporting.
How to Support the Feeney Legacy Project
Register for the next Feeney 5K at Brook Run Park, support local fundraisers, or simply take a few minutes to learn about Georgia’s 911 Amnesty law and hands-only CPR. Learn more at feeneylegacyproject.org and on Instagram at @feeneylegacy.
My Take: Talk to your kids about this tonight. It takes two minutes, and it could change everything.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Feeney Legacy Project
What is the Feeney Legacy Project?
A nonprofit started by Feeney’s family that raises awareness of Georgia’s 911 Amnesty and Good Samaritan laws and teaches hands-only CPR.
What is Georgia’s 911 Amnesty law?
Georgia law offers certain protections to people who call 911 to get help for someone in a medical emergency, even when drugs or alcohol are involved, so fear does not stop people from calling.
What is hands-only CPR?
Call 911 first, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives. No rescue breaths are needed.
Where is the Feeney 5K held?
The Feeney 5K is held at the Brook Run Park Amphitheater in Dunwoody and is an AJC Peachtree Road Race qualifier. There is also a virtual option.
How can I support the Feeney Legacy Project?
Run or walk the Feeney 5K, donate at feeneylegacyproject.org, or follow @feeneylegacy and share the Call 911 message.