Bonnie Ryan, Children’s Nebraska

Critical care positions Angelina for a bright future

Angelina was enjoying another day of fourth grade in January 2023 when she suddenly collapsed because of ventricular fibrillation (VF), a life-threatening arrhythmia that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. School nurses quickly intervened with CPR, paramedics defibrillated her heart, and she was later flown to Children’s Nebraska’s Criss Heart Center for surgery. There, a cardiothoracic surgeon placed an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in Angelina’s chest. Her ICD tracks and analyzes her heart rhythm and will deliver a shock to her heart if she ever experiences an irregular, life-threatening arrhythmia again. Because of the quick response from her school nurses, paramedics and the expert team at Children’s, Angelina is healthy and back in school. Her school also achieved a Heart Safe School designation through the hospital’s Project ADAM program in May 2023, ensuring advanced preparedness for an unexpected cardiac event with automated external defibrillator (AED) and CPR training and a practiced response plan that improves safety for students, staff and community visitors alike. Now 10 years old, Angelina has since returned to her active lifestyle, playing the violin and piano and participating in basketball, volleyball and dance. She and her family feel supported and prepared for her future thanks to the care Children’s delivered.