HOUSTON, Texas – At 6′1″ and a powerhouse on the volleyball court, Julieta Valdes was a shining star at The Woodlands High School, ranked 18th in the nation, and a top collegiate prospect.
Volleyball was her life, day and night, on the court and even on the beach; it was volleyball constantly.
“It was 24-7 volleyball all the time,” her mother, Patricia, said.
But then, without warning, everything changed.
In the middle of a workout at home, Julieta suddenly collapsed. She suffered sudden cardiac arrest, a terrifying moment when her heart stopped beating.
“My hands were clenched, my muscles contracted, my eyes open, gasping for air,” Julieta said.
Paramedics and firefighters rushed to her aid, working for 24 minutes before her heartbeat returned. For half an hour, Julieta lay clinically dead.
This hidden heart defect, invisible to standard school sports exams, nearly took her life.
She faced complications: pancreatitis, multi-organ failure, blood clots, and potential brain damage from lack of oxygen.
“We didn’t think she had any kind of heart condition. Her life was volleyball, sports, everything,” said Patricia.
Now, Julieta is not only a survivor but a beacon of hope. She is preparing to become a pediatric heart surgeon, driven by a deep desire to save other children from the kind of hidden heart conditions.
To keep your own children from ever having to endure what Julieta went through, KPRC2 has partnered with the Cody Stephens Foundation and Harris County Emergency Services District 11 to offer free, in-depth heart screenings for children aged 11 to 22.
These screenings use an electrocardiogram (ECG) machine, which detects hidden heart defects far better than routine school exams.
“Standard sports exams catch only about 3% of hidden defects. With ECGs, we can detect up to 86%,” Scott Stephens, founder of the foundation, said.
Julieta will also be helping at the upcoming heart screen event.
“The heart is mysterious and intricate,” she said. “And the only real way to test it without surgery is through ECGs. It is quick, painless, and I wish I had one before all this happened.”
This life-saving event will take place on Sunday, Aug. 17, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is open to everyone aged 11 to 22 and will be held at Harris County ESD 11, located at 18334 Stuebner Airline Road in Spring. You can register your children by clicking on this link.
You can register online now or walk in on the day of the event if slots are full. No child will be turned away.
