Michigan wants schools ready for cardiac emergencies, but fails to provide funds

EmilyOrtawasaseeminglyhealthy14-year-oldsoccerplayerinAdrianwhenherlifechangedinseconds.Inthemiddleofashootingdrill,herheartstopped.Shewasn’tbreathing. “Itwasacompleteshock,”Orta,now26,toldBridgeMichigan.She’dlaterdiscovershewaslivingwitharareheartdefectfrombirth—anomalousleftcoronaryarteryfromthepulmonaryartery,orALCAPA. “Wehadnoideathattherewasanyissues.” Ortasaidshe“wouldn’tbeheretoday”ifitweren’tforthequickworkofhercoaches,whostartedemergencyCPRonthefieldtokeepherheartpumping.Anotherpersonenteredanearbybuildingtograbanautomatedexternaldefibrillator—anAED.Theportabledevicedeliversanelectricshocktorestorenormalheartrhythmandkepttheyoungteenstablebeforeshewastransferredtoahospital. “Iwasattherightplaceattherighttime,”Ortasaid.“Andeverybodythatwasaroundmeandhadtheirhandsonmethatday,theywerealsointherightplaceattherighttime.”