A Texas family is grieving the death of their teenage daughter, who was found unconscious at cheerleading camp in July. Callie Marie Mitchell from Katy, Texas, spent some of her summer at Texas A&M University’s camp. While there, her coach found her unconscious.
He immediately performed CPR. The teen was taken to the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. Sadly, she died there on August 1.
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The teen's parents said she was 'super excited' about cheer camp.
Mitchell, a rising junior at Morton Ranch High School, was "like sunshine," mother Michelle Donahue told KHOU. Michelle Donahue, who is an assistant principal at Morton Ranch, said her daughter was thrilled about going to camp that year.
“She left for cheer camp on a Monday [July 24] and she was super excited,” Michelle Donahue said.
But things took a turn for the worse when Mitchell’s coach called the family and asked if the teen ever had problems waking up in the morning.
“No, never,” Michelle Donahue answered. Afterward, Mitchell's parents hurried to their car and drove to their daughter.
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Mitchell likely suffered cardiac arrest caused by long QT syndrome.
Once they arrived at the camp, her parents learned that the same coach who’d called them had to perform CPR on Mitchell. “If it wasn't for [Coach] Eberly, we would have never had the chance to say goodbye," Michelle Donahue said.
The teen was airlifted from the camp to the hospital, where she later died. Her father, Scott Donahue, said she likely suffered from a cardiac arrest caused by long QT syndrome. It’s a genetic disorder that affects the electrical system that controls the heart, reported KHOU.
The Donahues want to warn other parents about the condition.
"For any other parents out there, you know they do physicals every year … EKGs are not part of a physical … get an EKG," Scott Donahue said. He told MEAWW that his daughter never showed any signs that she was unwell.
Mitchell had been cheering since she was 2 years old. In honor of her passion for the sport, the Universal Cheerleading Association named her an Honorary Lifetime American Cheerleader last week.
The teen's friends and family described her as a girl of faith and a dedicated Taylor Swift fan.
In her obituary, Mitchell is described as a young woman committed to her faith, insisting on sitting in the front row at church. In fact, the caption in her last Instagram story read: “His plan over mine,” KBTX reported.
Her family describes her as a dedicated Taylor Swift fan who loved Texas Roadhouse, Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks.
She also had a special place in her heart for her French bulldogs, Eugene and Ruby. A GoFundMe page has been created to assist the family during this time. Thus far, it’s raised more than $35,000 of its initial $25,000 goal.
