Miami Lakes recently designated N.W. 164 Street as Breanna Vergara Way to honor the 11-year-old Town resident and avid dancer who fell unexpectedly to sudden cardiac arrest during a dance class on December 9, 2014.
The family later learned that Vergara passed from Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, a condition where an extra electrical connection exists between the upper and lower chambers of the heart, which can be easily detected with an EKG screening.
On May 17, Miami Lakes officials, family members and members of the community gathered at the corner of N.W. 88 Court and 164 Street to unveil the Breanna Vergara Way street sign near Royal Oaks Park.
More than 100 people, including parents Claudia and Jesus Vergara, and sister Gabby, turned out to honor Breanna.
Her tragic death prompted the Breanna Vergara Foundation with a goal to make sure all kids who participate in sports and other physical activities in Miami Lakes have a free EKG at local hospitals to detect any heart conditions that can impact their lives.
The Town Council recently passed the Sudden Cardiac Awareness Policy - “Breanna Saves Lives Act,” encouraging parents to have their children tested before participating in any Town programs requiring physical exertion. The policy makes it a mandatory practice for the Town and its program providers to inform youth athletes/program participants, their families, and coaches of sudden cardiac arrest, and the options available for prevention.
Over 100 free EKG screenings were provided at last year’s Family Health and Wellness Fair by Niklaus Children’s Hospital in collaboration with the Breanna Vergara Foundation.
The Foundation also created the Breanna Vergara 5K Run/Walk which was held last December at Miami Lakes Park West.