PHOENIX — Three different athletes all share one connection: they were born with life-threatening heart conditions that almost ended their young lives.
Each one gathered at Phoenix Children's Hospital to share their experiences and what they overcame.
13-year-old Pyper Midkiff now has a heart monitor after she collapsed during soccer practice in Mesa last year. Doctors said she suffered cardiac arrest.
While Midkiff said she doesn't remember the incident or even the days that followed, her father certainly does.
“To see her not breathing and not have a pulse is frightening,” Matt Midkiff said.
The young soccer player was flown to Phoenix Children's Hospital where cardiologists diagnosed her with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. They also learned her twin sister, Emeri, had the same congenital defect.
For 15-year-old Dylan McQueen, he was born with a severe congenital heart defect. McQueen said his heart was too big.
“It was crushing my lungs, my organs," he said.
It forced him to have a heart transplant at just eight months old. His mother Melissa McQueen remembered that day vividly.
“When we first got that diagnosis it was absolutely devastating and to not know if he was going to survive,” McQueen said.
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Jayden Goss was also born with three extremely rare heart defects that went undiagnosed until he was 21 and suffered a stroke in college. A few months later, he underwent open-heart surgery.
“It was very scary," Goss said. "When you are in that position you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Despite the challeneges each one of them went through, all three are now back in the game.
“I’m happy to be here, like I’m happy to still have my family and my friends and I’m happy to still be playing soccer," Midkiff said.
Both girls are playing soccer once again. A situation their father didn't know would be possible.
"To be at that point where they are able to do that and enjoy life is amazing,” he said.
McQueen has been involved in wrestling for eight years now. He said he recently took home 3rd place in the state championship.
“I still got a second chance and just kind of like a gift to me," said McQueen.
His mother grateful that her son can live his life to the fullest.
“We didn’t know if he would graduate from kindergarten even much less now he is in high school playing sports this is phenomenal to us," she said.
For Goss, he is able to play sports recreationally. The incident, however, inspired him to help others.
“It actually made me want to change my field so I’m going into the medical field now,” Goss said.
Doctor Andrew Papez with Phoenix Children's said congenital heart disease happens to about one in every 100 newborns. Most of these problems are not always obvious right away and typically present themselves later in life he said. The best way to prevent what these young athletes went through is to listen.
"Just really listening to your body if you are a patient and listening to your kids if you are a parent," Dr. Papez said. "That’s the most important thing.”
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