Whiz Kid: 'Heart Walker' Katarina Weigel

Name: Katarina Weigel

Age: 16

School:

Accomplishment: Katarina Weigel is the captain of a team that aims to raise $1,000 during the 2011 Westchester County Heart Walk.  

Key to Awesomeness:

One of the participating teams in the 2011 Westchester County Heart Walk is named The Three Amigos in honor of , Katarina Weigel, when she suffered a cardiac arrest as a 15-year-old athlete during a volleyball practice.

(Watch the embedded YouTube video for more on her story.)

The name also symbolizes saving not one but potentially three lives. The ripple effect of the resuscitation of Katarina was her eventual diagnosis of Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT), a sudden arrhythmia death syndromes (SADS), that also affects her mother, Daria, and 19-year-old brother, Robert.

"I decided to participate in the 5K, because I wanted to give back and do as much as I could to educate the public about heart disease as well as being physically fit,” Katarina said.

The senior of Yorktown High School is striving to raise $1,000 with her team for the American Heart Association (organizer of the Walk) to supports its research and education work, especially related to automated external defibrillator (AED) and CPR, “which saved [her] life.”

Amigos will be composed of approximately 30 members, including Katarina’s immediate family (Daria, Robert, and father, Bob); boyfriend, Gregg DiFranca (a Penn State freshman); and YHS seniors (Stephanie Palmentiero, Samara Fine, Sam Franks, Kristen O'Connell).

"Having your child go into cardiac arrest and being saved and alive is imaginable," her mother Daria said. "So anything that involves giving back or spreading the word of heart disease, we participate in."

Robert, who transferred from Valdosta State University in Georgia to Westchester Community College because of his heart surgery, said that without technology his sister might not have survived to raise money to help save other children.

On Oct. 2 at Kensico Dam in Valhalla, Amigos will be among some 2,000 walkers, ranging from children to senior citizens. Carolyn Torella (Regional Communications Director) and Jennifer Gelick (Walk Director) of the Westchester American Heart Association said the fundraising event will "celebrate healthy lifestyles" and raise "critical funds for life-saving research and community awareness and advocacy programs."

In July 2010, Katarina suffered a cardiac arrest during a pre-season YHS varsity volleyball team workout and was revived by Katy Sherwood (YHS varsity volleyball coach), Mike Rescigno (YHS varsity football coach), and Jeff Wilson (Yorktown Athletic Club coach).

Since then, Katarina has contributed her time to events that raise money and awareness for medical causes. Katarina was a participant of Go the Distance fundraiser held in April for Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, where she was previously hospitalized. She also distributed more than 100 bracelets for SADS.

Katrina said she plans to study nursing in college and hopes to eventually work at the emergency room of Maria Fareri Hospital.

"Everyone should be CPR certified," she said. "You never know whose life you can save with your own two hands."

Donations can be made through Katarina’s page.

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Nominations for Yorktown Patch’s Whiz Kids can be submitted to Plamena Pesheva plamena@patch.com and Christine An christinean.patch@gmail.com