A rising high school junior died recently while attending a cheer camp at Texas A&M. Callie Mitchell, 16, was airlifted to Texas Children’s Hospital after a coach performed CPR at the campus where she later died.
Mitchell was set to begin her junior year at Morton Ranch High School in Katy, Texas, where her mother is an assistant principal, according to KHOU.
Days earlier, a coach called the parents asking if Callie had “a problem waking up this morning.” Her mother, Michelle Donahue, said she “never” did.
Her parents then drove to the campus, where they learned CPR had to be performed on their daughter. “If it wasn’t for [the coach], we would have never had the chance to say goodbye,” Donahue told KHOU.
Mitchell’s father, Scott Donahue, said his daughter had long QT syndrome, a conduction disorder that impairs the electrical system controlling the heartbeat. The condition if often inherited, the New York Post notes.
Scott says Mitchell “probably” went into a cardiac arrest that was caused by the condition. Long QT is detectable by electrocardiogram (EKG), which is optional during athletic physicals in Texas. Mitchell’s father is now urging parents to get EKGs for their kids.
“For any other parents out there, you know they do physicals every year. … EKGs are not part of a physical. … Get an EKG,” Scott said. Mitchell was “like sunshine” who began cheering at the age of two, her mother said. “Always wanted to be a friend to anyone and everyone,” Scott added.
