On January 27, 1010, at the age of 16, I suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while sleeping. There were no warning signs. I survived because my family performed CPR and paramedics used an AED. After being airlifted to Seattle Children’s Hospital, I was immediately cooled in order to help prevent brain damage. I was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine. While in the hospital, I also suffered a TIA stroke due to a blood clot that had formed. The cause of my sudden cardiac arrest was Long QT Syndrome. I went through surgery to receive an ICD and spent about a month in the hospital before being able to return home.

Since my diagnosis, my older sister, who was at my side the whole time, had the same surgery a month after I was out of the hospital. The doctors now believe that Long QT caused my mother’s death at the age of 26.