Breanna Vergara was a healthy, happy, active young girl with a bright future ahead of her … or so her parents thought. The 11-year-old girl was an avid dancer who loved nothing more than performing on stage.

She had never suffered from any health problems so her parents thought she was fine.They had no idea that she suffered from Pre-excitation Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. A long word to say that she had an extra electrical pathway in her heart.

When Breanna collapsed at the dance studio one day she was given CPR and rushed to the hospital but it was too late. Her life ended that day due to a condition that could have been detected with an electrocardiogram (EKG).

To most people, the thought of giving a child an EKG just doesn’t make sense. But knowing that the simple test could have saved their daughters life makes Breanna’s parents want to raise awareness for this heart defect.

Her parents have started the Breanna Bergara Foundation and urge parents to get their kids screened. After Breanna’s passing, her dance studio had all of their students get EKGs. Another student at the studio, Taylor, discovered she had Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome too and was able to have surgery to correct it.

Taylor’s mother says that Breanna is their guardian angel and that she saved their daughter.

Knowing that their daughter’s story is helping save lives brings great comfort to her parents. Her mother told CBS News Miami, “It’s something good that has come out of this. My daughter’s death wasn’t in vain.” 

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