A Texas high school student has died due to a medical complication she suffered while attending a cheer camp in College Station, her family said.
Callie Marie Mitchell, 16, was found unresponsive in her bed at camp and later was pronounced dead, on Aug. 1, according to KHOU-TV.
Mitchell’s mother, Michelle Donahue, recalled the moment she realized something was wrong. Mitchell’s coach called the mom and said, “‘Hey, does Callie have a problem waking up in the morning?’ And I said, ‘No, never.'”
The coach performed CPR on Mitchell until the teen was ultimately airlifted to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.
“If it wasn’t for [Coach] Eberly, we would have never had the chance to say goodbye,” Donahue said.
Donahue added that her daughter was excited about attending cheer camp, as she had been involved with cheerleading since she was 2.
Scott Donahue, Mitchell’s father, told KHOU he believes his daughter suffered cardiac arrest as a result of Long QT syndrome.
The Mayo Clinic describes the syndrome as “a heart signaling disorder that can cause fast, chaotic heartbeats” and sudden fainting as well as seizures.
Mitchell’s parents issued a warning for everyone with children, KHOU reported.
“For any other parents out there, you know they do physicals every year … EKGs are not part of a physical … get an EKG,” as it can help detect if someone has an underlying heart condition.
Callie Marie Mitchell’s parents said their daughter always wanted to be a friend to everyone. https://t.co/CWs8xWo3dG pic.twitter.com/LSWyQmdds0
— WBTV News (@WBTV_News) August 11, 2023
The 16-year-old was described in her obituary as having a strong connection to religion. She attended St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Houston and “found solace in her faith.”
“Callie had a unique connection with time and would make a wish at 11:11 a.m., trusting in the magic of the moment,” the obituary read. “At church, she was the spirited teenager who always insisted on the front row, reflecting her strong faith and commitment to her beliefs.
“She adorned her car, ‘Faith,’ with a cross hanging from the mirror, symbolizing her unwavering devotion.”
KHOU reported, “She took a stand for what she believed” as her parents said they want their daughter to be remembered for what she last wrote on social media: “His plan, over mine.”
“More than anything, she would want them to have faith in God and know that they are redeemed,” Michelle Donahue said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.