Joe Krejci is surrounded by Blessed Divounguy, Craig Titsworth, Annie Young and Max Orvik, who saved his life at LHJH. (Photo by Danny Fulgencio)
Living for Zachary Heart Screenings are named for an active Plano teen who loved baseball, football and fishing with his Grandpa. In 2009, Zac collapsed and died from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) during football practice. This Saturday, Living for Zachary is partnering with Baylor Scott & White to provide free heart screenings for youth ages 12-22 at the Lake Highlands YMCA.
The noninvasive screening package includes electrocardiogram, limited 2-D echocardiogram, blood pressure screening, SCA risk health questionnaire and a screening review by board-certified cardiologists. More information is here, and appointments are required. More testing dates at other locations are also available.
Pitching in at the event will be Virginia Krejci, who knows a little something about the benefits of such testing. Her son, Joe, collapsed during track class at Lake Highlands Junior High in 2017. Coach Craig Titsworth sent his fastest runners, and Nurse Annie Young returned with the school’s automated external defibrillator (AED) to shock Joe’s heart back into rhythm. Three years later, Virginia and husband, Mike, left Joe’s Winter Formal photo opp and went to dinner on Greenville Avenue. Mike stepped away for a moment, and Virginia collapsed in a heap. Paramedics jump-started her heart, also with an AED.
The Living for Zachary Heart Screening will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24. The LH YMCA is at 8920 Stults Road at Greenville Ave.
