Kayla Messana's tumultuous year took a dramatic turn when her husband John returned home after a deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. Settling back into family life, they cherished precious moments with their three young sons. Little did they know, a terrifying night awaited them.

One fateful night in June, after a fun baseball game, John found Kayla gasping for air on the couch. Panic surged as he realized she wasn’t responding. Using only a threadbare knowledge of CPR, he dialed 911, frantically trying to keep his wife alive while the dispatcher calmly guided him through life-saving measures.

Emergency responders arrived, taking over with chest compressions and an automated external defibrillator. After two shocking attempts, Kayla finally regained a pulse, but her struggle was far from over. She suffered five more episodes of cardiac arrest within the next 24 hours.

Transferred to a specialized hospital in Boston, doctors induced a coma to minimize brain damage and give her body a chance to heal. Family members crowded around, holding onto hope. Four days later, Kayla awakened, and John’s heart soared when he spotted her familiar freckles and crooked smile.

However, the family soon learned that Kayla suffered from ventricular fibrillation, a dangerous heart rhythm disorder. It was a wake-up call: at just 31, she was diagnosed with early-stage heart failure, drastically affecting her quality of life.

Back at home, Kayla faced an uphill battle. Simple tasks left her breathless, and memories of her cardiac arrests haunted her. "Every ounce of normalcy was ripped away from me," she recounted. John too was haunted by sleepless nights, fearing for her health.

But as summer passed, Kayla began to shift her perspective, embracing the chance for a new life. She reluctantly stepped back from a demanding job to become a part-time reading coach and pursued her dream of becoming a children’s book author. With three colorful stories under her belt, her spirit began to shine.

In early 2024, another jolt came when her Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) shocked her awake, leading to a new diagnosis: polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT). The battle continued with new medications managing her unpredictable heart rhythms.

Despite ongoing challenges, Kayla's heart function improved, and her appreciation for life deepened. With an inspiring message, she and John are determined to raise awareness about the importance of CPR and to advocate for younger heart patients. “CPR is the reason I’m alive,” Kayla passionately states.

This incredible journey reminds us all that heart disease knows no age, and every heartbeat counts—especially when a second chance ignites a newfound will to live.