HOUSTON — Just before Matteo Tomsyck's 12th birthday, his heart suddenly stopped while he was swimming with his brother.
"My brother stepped away to go to the bathroom," Tomsyck said. "During that time, I fell to the bottom of the pool. I don't remember any of this. They rushed me to the hospital."
He suffered six cardiac arrests that day. Although it's rare, his cardiologist with UT Physicians said he sees several pediatric cardiac patients every year.
He said most are adolescents between 11 and 16 years old, and 80% of those adolescents suffer cardiac arrest while participating in sports.
"We need to train teachers at school, especially sports and PE teachers, how to use defibrillators and how to conduct good CPR," said Dr. Mohammed Numan with UT Physicians.
Dr. Numan said there are often no warning signs in adolescents, but one indicator is fainting. He said the cause of sudden cardiac arrest in pediatric patients is almost, always genetic.
"Any sudden death in the family below age 40, that should raise a flag for physicians that they need to screen the rest of the family," Dr. Numan said.
Matteo eventually learned he had a genetic condition that causes an irregular heartbeat.
He's now on his third pacemaker -- grateful to be alive to share his story.
"It made me realize that life is really, really short," he said. "You can never take anything for granted."
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