Wednesday, September 27, 2000
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Wednesday, September 27, 2000 |
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Team
Johnathan plans variety of events Team Jonathan is on the move again. This Saturday the group of Fayette teens have teamed up with Fayette Community Hospital, Southern Regional Medical Center, the Fayette County and Fayetteville fire departments, the American Heart Association, Southern Crescent Mortgage and many other local groups and businesses to fight heart disease in teens. Last year 16-year-old Jonathan Respess, a Fayette County High School basketball player and active student, died from a heart arrhythmia, a disturbance of the electrical system of the heart. Respess was in the Beta Club, played trombone and the piano and was active in his church, the Community Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Fayetteville. He was a popular and well-respected student. Respess appeared to be healthy. All of the minor symptoms he experienced prior to his unexpected death could have been and were attributed to normal growing pains. Some tiredness after a game. Very slight chest pains, not uncommon in teens or adults. Other minor symptoms that occurred once, and at intervals that most would not have connected. The night he died, Respess practiced basketball with the high school team as he normally did. He came home and talked with his parents, played a board game and, saying he was tired, went to bed. A short time later his parents checked on him, only to find he was not breathing. Like all parents, they look back and say "if only." If only we had known. If only we had heard. If we knew then what we know now. If only. They, along with a large group of Jonathan's friends, are committed to preventing other parents from ever saying "if only." Mike and Beth Respess have educated themselves and are determined to help educate other parents. Their goal is to ensure that others will be able to recognize the importance of certain symptoms and know to take appropriate preventive measures. The Respesses formed Team Jonathan with the help of numerous local teens earlier this year to educate and raise money to fight heart disease. The group has held a number of fund-raisers including a car wash at Wal-Mart and a golf tournament in conjunction with Gold's Gym. The team is out in force at local games collecting money and they will be walking in the American Heart Walk Nov. 12 in Respess' honor. With a portion of the funds raised, they hope to place defibrillators in local area schools, beginning with Jonathan's school, Fayette County High. At 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, Team Jonathan will host a health fair at Fayette County High School. The group will kick off the free health fair with a short walk of just under two miles, which will begin and culminate at the school. The public is invited. In addition to bringing attention to the need for awareness of heart disease in youth, the hosts hope to educate parents and teens on the causes and preventive measures they can take. Dr. Charles Pettus, a local cardiologist, will be on hand to answer questions regarding heart disease. The Fayette County Fire Department will demonstrate the use of defibrillators and be available to take participants' blood pressure. Southern Regional Medical Center will provide educational materials and offer a number of screenings. Additionally, Thursday, Sept. 28, the Fayette County Board of Commissioners will officially proclaim Sept. 30 as Jonathan Respess Day. A short ceremony will be conducted at the beginning of Thursday's commission meeting. Members of Team Jonathan, the Respess family, American Heart Association volunteers and staff will be on hand. For information regarding the Team Jonathan Health Fair or on the American Heart Walk, phone Janet McGregor at 770-631-9503 or e-mail jmac-snippets@msn.com.
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