NEW LENNOX, Illinois (WGN) – Illinois doctors helped save the 17-year-old’s life while on vacation with their family at Disney World.
According to a press release, he and his family said they were in the theme park at Disney’s Hollywood Studios when they noticed a group of girls sitting on a park bench crying at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.
“Then I saw a young woman who wasn’t moving to the ground. I checked her pulse. It was irregular. We found an AED. Disney has them everywhere.” “I’ve never used it before, but the device walks you through it. I shocked her once, her body jumped, but nothing happened.
When paramedics arrive, Siappa’s son Joe learns that the girl is on a band trip from Pennsylvania. The travel leader contacted the girl’s parents. The girl said she wasn’t taking prescription medication or had other conditions they knew.
“I later heard she coded twice more in the ambulance on her way to the hospital,” Siappa said.
According to medical experts, the 17-year-old was later diagnosed with long QT syndrome (LQTS). LQTS affects electrical signals that pound through the heart.
These irregular heartbeats can be life-threatening.
Schiappa said she learned that a doctor at the hospital had implanted a pacemaker into the girl.
“I understand that she’s doing very well now. I heard from my parents and they were very grateful. … They sent me a nice note,” Schiappa said. “If this had happened when she was in college after graduation, she might have passed away. If I hadn’t noticed the crowd around her, the same could have happened. I’m very grateful.”
Schiappa and his family enjoyed the rest of their Disney holiday, but he said the incident remained with him.
“What we did was successful, thank God,” Siappa said.
