When 2-year-old goes into cardiac arrest, parents take life-saving action

When 2-year-old goes into cardiac arrest, parents take life-saving action

Illinois parents raise awareness about CPR training after toddler's diagnosis with rare heart condition

Stephanie and Kris Thomas' 2-year-old son went into sudden cardiac arrest in the middle of the night at their Illinois home. (Stephanie Thomas/OSF HealthCare)

After 11 days of testing, the 2-year-old was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, a very rare heart condition that can cause sudden cardiac arrest and death. (Stephanie Thomas/OSF HealthCare)

"Our son acts and appears healthy more than 99% of the time, until his heart gets into an arrhythmia that his body and medication cannot manage on their own," Stephanie Thomas told Fox News Digital. (Stephanie Thomas/OSF HealthCare)

The parents said it can be challenging to navigate the episodes with a 2-year-old who can’t understand what’s happening. (Stephanie Thomas/OSF HealthCare)

The Thomases now aim to raise awareness of the importance of having CPR training, being alert to warning signs and putting an emergency plan in place. (Stephanie Thomas/OSF HealthCare)