A new bill in the Florida Legislature could make it mandatory for student athletes to undergo heart screenings before taking part in sports.
The bill (SB 1070) was passed in the Florida Senate on Thursday and is now heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk, awaiting his signature.
The issue hits home for many people across the state, especially with one South Florida family, who finds the issue to be deeply personal and said the measure could save lives.
On Dec. 9, 2014, the Vergaras’ life changed forever when their 11-year-old daughter Breanna collapsed during dance class.
“She was in dance class dancing, when all of a sudden, she collapsed,” said Claudia Vergara, Breanna’s mother. “They thought she had just fainted.”
Breanna Vergara would have turned 22 years old this month and her room is nearly identical to how she had it 10 years ago.
“How could this be happening? Unfortunately, they kept working on her,” said Jesus Vergara, Breanna’s father. “We went to the hospital and maybe 30 minutes later, [the doctors] walked in and they told us that she did not make it.”
Breanna Vergara died of sudden cardiac arrest and her parents said an electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) could have saved her.
“An AED could’ve changed things, an EKG could’ve changed things,” said Claudia Vergara.
“She just got her physical, and they don’t do EKGs,” added Jesus Vergara. “If they had done it, it’s possible that we would’ve found out and she would still be here.”
SB 1070 aims to combat that — it requires all student athletes in Florida to get an EKG before participating in school sports for the first time.
Doctor Jose Martinez Elejalde, the chief medical officer for Broward Medical Health Center, told CBS News Miami that EKGs will show acute things that would help diagnose heart conditions better.
“It’s a very quick and easy test to do,” he said. “It’s non-invasive and gives a lot of info in [an] acute setting.”
Since their daughter’s death, the Vergaras have been working to prevent their tragedy from happening to others by organizing events to bring awareness.
“It’s a start in the right direction and if they can only save one life like that, it was already worth it,” said Jesus Vergara. “The five minutes that it takes to do it are worth it. We wish every day that we had the opportunity.”
“It would’ve changed her life and we wouldn’t be talking to [CBS News Miami] about this,” added Claudia Vergara.
If DeSantis signs the bill, it will go into effect in the 2026-2027 school year and make Florida the first state to mandate EKGs for student athletes.
