AUSTIN, Texas — An 11-year-old soccer player is making a full recovery after suffering a cardiac arrest in January.
Sabine Barrett was playing soccer on Jan. 19 when she collapsed on the field.
"She felt winded. Her chest hurt. She couldn't see well, she couldn’t hear well and we calmed her down and eventually returned. And she put her arms around me and said, 'I am dizzy,' and she collapsed," said Dan Barrett, Sabine Barrett's father.
Her father, who was with her at the time, called Lone Star Soccer Club coach Nic Snyder for help. Snyder administered CPR while Sabine's father called 911.
"It was intense, and I think Dan of course, as father, was very emotional. We started chest compressions and did compressions until the fire department showed up," Synder said.
Once medics from Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS), firefighters from the Austin Fire Department and officers from the Austin Police Department arrived on scene, they took over resuscitative efforts.
After 22 minutes, Sabine Barrett's heartbeat returned and she was taken by Travis County STAR Flight to Dell Children's Medical Center for further treatment.
"At 22 minutes, 22 minutes after Sabine dropped to the ground, her heart started again," ATCEMS Assistant Chief Michael Wright said.
Medical officials determined that she suffered a cardiac arrest due to a rare congenital heart disease called coronary artery anomaly. This type of defect is the second-leading cause of death in young athletes, according to ATCEMS.
Sabine Barrett underwent open-heart surgery on Jan. 20. Dr. Carlos M. Mery – a pediatric congenital heart surgeon at Dell Children's and the associate chief of pediatric and congenital cardiothoracic surgery for the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease – performed the surgery, along with his cardiac care team.
"We stopped the heart, after connecting her to heart-lung machine, stopped the heart, opened the aorta and divided the coronary coming out of the incorrect side, and put it on the correct side and restarted the heart," Dr. Mery said.
Almost a month after the surgery, Sabine Barrett is now out of the hospital and on her way to a full recovery.
"I want to say thank you everyone who helped me be here today, and I am really thankful to everyone," Sabine Barrett said to the team that helped save her life.
Her parents are grateful too.
"It feels like a miracle. We feel so fortunate and thankful for her to be here today," said Ginny Barrett, Sabine Barrett's mother.
"We are speechless. She is a miracle kid, and so thankful to have Sabine. Thanks to the Austin community," Dan Barrett said.
Sabine Barrett has big plans for her future.
"I want to be on the women's national soccer team," she said.