HOUSTON, Texas – Four years ago, Kade Smith was the kind of high school athlete who looked unstoppable, an all-star pitcher for Boling High School with one mindset: give everything, win everything.
“I’m just giving my 100% every day,” Smith said.
But behind the highlights and horsepower was something no one could see.
Smith had a hidden heart defect, the kind that can sit quietly for years and turn deadly without warning.
“Absolutely nothing, no indications at all,” Smith said when asked if he felt anything was wrong before it happened. “No symptoms.”
He’d also done what most young athletes are told to do: get the routine sports physicals required to play.
“I had passed every physical I’ve ever went through,” he said.
Then, during a run on the track at school, Smith collapsed.
“And as I got about halfway done, my vision started fading,” he recalled. “But I didn’t slow up because that’s just how determined I am as an athlete. Once I crossed the finish line, I faceplanted.”
Smith went into sudden cardiac arrest.
“After collapsing on the track, did you in fact die?” he was asked.
“Yes sir,” Smith said. “I was dead.”
He survived because someone nearby acted fast, a high school trainer performed CPR, and after four rounds, Smith’s heart started again.
Now, his story is fueling a major push to catch heart conditions before they become life-threatening emergencies, and it’s happening this week at Houston Christian University.
Free youth heart screenings at Houston Christian University
KPRC 2 is teaming up with the Cody Stephens Foundation, Houston Christian University, and Memorial Hermann Southwest to provide free in-depth heart screenings for young people across the Houston area.
Organizers say the goal is simple: identify hidden heart risks that standard exams often miss, especially for student athletes.
The screening event is set for:
- When: Friday, February 28
- Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Where: Morris Cultural Arts Center at Houston Christian University
- Who can attend: Ages 11 to 22
- Cost: Free
Each participant will receive an electrocardiogram (EKG), which is a quick test that measures the heart’s electrical activity.
“It takes about 10 minutes for their student to receive an EKG,” said Alahna Rojas with the Cody Stephens Foundation. “It’s non-invasive, it does not hurt. We put 10 electrodes on them, and they are with professional nurses.”
The event flyer highlights why organizers say screenings like this are urgent:
- Sudden cardiac arrest is the No. 1 killer of student athletes
- 1 in 300 youth may have an undetected heart condition that puts them at risk for sudden cardiac arrest
- The standard physical exam/history can miss 96% of youth at risk
That’s why KPRC 2 and its partners are encouraging families, not just athletes, to consider getting screened.
For Smith, the message comes from experience.
“My message is to go to these heart screenings,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. You could save a life. You could save your kid’s life.”
How to register
Registration is available through the QR code on the event flyer below.