Chandler mother shares her grief and lessons for other parents

CHANDLER, AZ - A Valley mother hopes her loss will help other parents become more aware of potential health issues in their children.

For Christine Puricelli the death of her daughter Emilie has left a void in her life.

“I miss the ‘hey moms', something they want to tell you, I miss just everything about her,” said Puricelli.

Christine had the burden of being the first one to find her daughter.

“And I went in and the very first thing I did was touch her arm and she was already cold. I knew she couldn’t be resuscitated,” said Christine.

The autopsy report said 22-year-old Emilie died of acute cardiac arrhythmia, but that answer wasn’t good enough for Christine.

She contacted a specialist at the University of Arizona.

“We found out at that time that it was congenital and that it was called long q-t syndrome,” said Christine.

A heart defect that can lead to dangerous irregular heart beats, a defect Christine herself later learned she has.

She says looking back on Emilie’s life, there were signs.

“When she was in grade school she fainted three or four times,” said Christine.

She also tired easily and took a lot of naps and when she started playing basketball…

“When they would run the bleachers she started complaining that her heart, she said mom it feels like my hearts going crazy,” said Christine.

Two trips to cardiologists, but they never go a diagnosis, Christine now has a message for other parents.

“I think for sure the biggest lesson that I would say is, especially as a parent and a mother, always, always go with your gut feeling,” said Christine.

It just might save your child’s life.