Survivor: Heather Freligh
Date of Event:
Location of Event: Art Freiler Elementary School - Tracy, California
Rescuer(s):Stephen Theall
September 22, 2023 was a normal day for Heather Freligh. She was 13. The basketball season had just started at the Art Freiler Elementary in Tracy, California. Heather was the starting Point Guard. After lunch, Heather played with her friends getting ready for the big game. She went to class and forgot all about the math test she had that day.
As Heather was getting ready to take the test, sitting down next to her friends, papers being passed out, she was trying to remember what might be on the test. All of a sudden, everything went dark and silent. She woke up with a tube down her throat. Wires everywhere and she had no idea where she was. She remembered hearing voices mumbling, alarms, and sounds going off, and feeling scared.
Love & Hope
Heather saw her dad standing by her and asking her to squeeze his hands. Heather squeezed his hands and he started crying. Over the next few hours, the doctors removed the breathing tube and wires. Heather was breathing on her own, starting her recovery. Heather’s dad and mom sat with her, and her dad asked her if she wanted to know what had happened to her. She said “Yes.”
Her dad took her hand and told her that she had a sudden cardiac arrest. Twenty-Eight (28) long hours had gone by since Heather closed her eyes in the classroom.
Heather’s dad told her that she was sitting in class and all of a sudden slumped over on the desk, fell out of her chair, hitting the ground, her face and lips started to turn blue. Heather’s friends Malyna and McKenna called 911.
Quick Help
Principal Stephen Theall arrived within a minute and was the first one to start CPR immediately He had just recently completed the CPR training. First responders put Heather on a defibrillator device and a monitor. They could see that her heart rhythm was wrong, and she began to have seizures. For a few seconds, Heather was told she had no heartbeat and flatlined on the monitor. It was only with the fourth defibrillator shock that her heart start to beat again.
They put a CPR device on Heather called “The Lucas Device” as she was being transported to the hospital. Heather was stabilized and then air lifted to the ICU in University California San Francisco Children’s Hospital.
The Heroic First Responders
Heather learned that all first responders did their job that day. Her dad, being a first responder himself, knew there was nothing he could do except pray and stay out of their way. Heather is truly grateful to Principal Theall and her two friends, Malyna and McKenna, who saved her life that day.
Recovery
Heather had heart surgery to install a defibrillator device (ICD) in her heart. After a successful surgery and recovery, Heather walked out of the hospital on October 5th, full of life and made a full recovery.
Heather loves each day to the fullest. Heather strongly believes it was a miracle and that God and Jesus had mercy on her and saved her life through the actions of all people involved that day.
Advocating for Heart Health
Heather is on her way to becoming a leader in advocating for heart health and sudden cardiac awareness among youth. She speaks at school events, where it was not easy at first to stand up in front of kids and industry leaders talking about her sudden cardiac arrest. A true hero herself, Heather is an inspirational speaker and a leader. She has shed many tears and panicked but nothing stopped her from telling her story. She wants to make sure other kids have a chance if they experience a sudden cardiac arrest. A fierce advocate, Heather has spoken with Senators and House of Representative committees at the State Capitol in California. She has advocated for school emergency plans, AED devices on school grounds, hands only CPR training, and heart screenings. She spoke at the American Heart Association’s “Heart Ball” in Washington D.C.
Moving Forward
Heather plays for the Division 1 JV Basketball team at St. At Mary's High School. She captains the team; her leadership is an inspiration both on and off the court.
Heather is deeply grateful to Stephen Theall. His prompt CPR saved her life.
See more on Stephen's award here.