Heart of a Fighter: Jadale’s Journey from Cardiac Arrest to Champion

In fifth grade, fainting episodes began to disrupt Jadale’s typical, energetic childhood in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. A series of tests eventually revealed he had a rare, inherited heart condition known as Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT) that causes irregular and potentially life-threatening arrhythmias.

One fateful afternoon, Jadale, then 13, was playing with friends when he experienced a sudden cardiac arrest event, a condition in which the heartbeat stops abruptly and unexpectedly. His friends sprung into immediate action by calling 911 while one performed chest compressions for seven minutes until the ambulance arrived.

Jadale was airlifted to Lurie Children’s Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit, where he would spend the next four months under the care of cardiologists, surgeons and nurses. The team continued to follow Jadale through adolescence – and he now says they are "like family.”

Now 20, Jadale enjoys good health and advocates for youth with heart conditions. He is a Division II competitive track and field thrower at Roosevelt University. He is also active with Project ADAM, a national program that educates and equips schools to respond to a sudden cardiac event.

Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any age, with little or no warning. On average, if someone has a sudden cardiac arrest outside of a medical setting, they have approximately a 10% chance of survival. Immediate CPR and the availability of an AED can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. Public knowledge of these life-saving skills is crucial and forms the foundation of Project ADAM’s mission.  

Making Wishes a Reality   

In November, Jadale had the chance to share his story of hope with donors, providers and advocates at Lurie Children’s Winter Wishes Holiday Cocktail Celebration.

The Founders’ Board event raised more than $527,000 in support of the Heart Center’s initiatives to reduce barriers to life-saving cardiology care. Funds will provide cardiology services in the highest risk communities, ensure the proper training and lifesaving devices are available to every community after sudden cardiac arrest, and advocate for preventative cardiology services.

“I want to share my story for another generation,” Jadale said. “I’d like to serve as an example: You can experience the extremes and still be successful, go to school, be an athlete, have friends. I want to give hope.”

Learn more about Our Heart Center

Additional Information

For more information about sudden cardiac arrest, CPR/AED use and how Lurie Children’s is helping schools and public spaces across the state prepare for SCA emergencies, see the resources below.

• Sudden Cardiac Arrest, Chest Pain & Heart Attack in Teens
• The Case for CPR and Why Acting Quickly Matters
• How to Use an AED on a Child
• Project ADAM – Project ADAM is a helpful resource for preventing sudden cardiac death. As an affiliate of Project ADAM, Lurie Children’s aims to increase survival from sudden cardiac arrest in Illinois by helping schools achieve a 'Heart Safe School' designation, indicating that they have a cardiac response team and documented response plans in the case of an emergency. For more information about Project ADAM, educational resources and how to become a Heart Safe Site, visit projectadam.com or reach out to projectadam@luriechildrens.org.