In a story that can only be described as miraculous, a Texas teenager cheated death and came back to life two hours after suffering cardiac arrest while scaling a rock-climbing wall. Sammy Berko, 16, had climbed to the top of the wall and rang the bell, only to collapse moments later.
Bystanders, paramedics, and doctors took turns administering CPR for two hours before declaring him dead. His parents, who had lost another son to a rare genetic disorder, were given a private moment to say goodbye to their second son. However, as his mother prayed, Sammy began to move, much to the surprise of the medical professionals in attendance.
Sammy’s incredible comeback defied explanation, and doctors have called it a “literal miracle.” Despite being clinically dead for two hours, he suffered only limited brain damage, with short-term memory loss being the most significant lasting effect.
Sammy is now working on regaining his leg and core strength and is undergoing multiple forms of therapy at TIRR Memorial in Houston, including music therapy.
The experience also led to the discovery of a rare genetic condition, Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), that affects the heart and had been unknowingly living in the Berko family tree. After going through a procedure, he was prescribed life-long medications for cardiac arrest prevention.
The Facts of the Matter
There are moments in life when fate intervenes in the most miraculous ways, reminding us of the preciousness of every breath we take. Texas-based teen Sammy Berko’s story is one such example, where the boundaries between life and death were blurred and rewritten.
Against all odds, Sammy was given a second chance at life, defying the expectations of medical professionals and leaving many wondering how such a miracle could occur.
Sammy Berko was presumed dead after suffering cardiac arrest while rock climbing. However, in a miraculous turn of events, he was brought back to life two hours later in what doctors are calling a “literal miracle.”
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Teen Suffers Rock-Climbing
The 16-year-old had been scaling a rock-climbing wall when he reached the top and rang the bell. However, his body suddenly went limp, and he lost consciousness. Despite the efforts of bystanders, paramedics, and doctors, Sammy was declared dead after two hours of resuscitation attempts.
His parents, still mourning the loss of their younger son three years earlier, were given a private moment to say goodbye to their second son. As they spoke to him, they suddenly realized that he was moving again.
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Doctors Amazed at Teen Coming Back to Life
Doctors are amazed not only because Sammy came back to life, but also because he came back with limited brain injuries.
Despite the lack of oxygen to his brain during his brief death, Sammy only suffered short-term memory loss for several weeks.
However, he also suffered an ischemic spine injury during cardiac arrest, which left him unable to move his legs. Although Sammy is currently undergoing therapy to regain his leg and core strength, he remains positive about his progress.
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Rare Genetic Condition Discovered in Aftermath
The experience, though terrifying, has helped uncover a rare genetic condition that had been affecting the Berko family for years. Sammy, Jennifer, and Frankie, their younger son who had died three years earlier, had been unknowingly living with Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a rare genetic disorder that affects the heart.
Frankie had suffered dramatic seizures that led to multiple traumatic brain injuries, and the boy’s father, Craig, a former paramedic, had tried to give him CPR during his last seizure, but he could not be revived.
After identifying Sammy’s CPVT, he underwent a procedure, and he and his mother were given a lifetime prescription for medication to help prevent cardiac arrest.
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