SAN ANTONIO – What began as a typical day in P.E. class turned into a terrifying event for 12-year-old Bianca Ximenez.
On March 25, during P.E. class, the St. Anthony’s Catholic School student collapsed unexpectedly during a routine run at school and went into cardiac arrest.
Bianca’s life was saved thanks to the swift response from school nurse Caroline Mendez and paramedics with the San Antonio Fire Department.
“I ran from the stairs down all the way over here. And she was here, right here on the gravel, face down,” Mendez recalled. “Her eyes were open; she was kind of gasping for air. The fight was on.”
Mendez immediately began CPR. Minutes later, San Antonio Fire Department paramedics arrived and rushed Bianca to Christus Children’s Hospital.
Her father, Bexar County Judge Alfredo Ximenez, and her mother, Cassandra, received a call no parent wants — Bianca had collapsed, and they needed to get to the hospital right away.
“My life changed forever that day,” Alfredo said.
He thanked Mendez and the SAFD paramedics, who rushed Bianca to CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital.
“There’s nothing I can give to pay back what you’ve done for us. Thank you,” he said.
Bianca was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rare heart condition that causes the heart muscle to thicken, making it harder for the heart to pump blood. It often goes undetected until a critical event occurs.
“When I saw her in the hospital, she was intubated, had a C-collar on … she was just laying there,” Cassandra said. “I was completely unprepared.”
Alfredo remembered asking doctors before they moved Bianca to the ICU if he could talk to her. “She was kind of just laying on the table by herself. He (the doctor) said of course, and I went and I held her hand. I said, ‘Baby, Daddy’s here. And everything’s gonna be okay.’”
Doctors told the family that only 17% of people who experience what Bianca did survive.
Bianca, who doesn’t remember the event, later described the experience as feeling like “a really long nap.”
A week after receiving a defibrillator implant, Bianca returned to school, where she reunited with the people who saved her life.
SAFD paramedic David Lieck said seeing Bianca smile again was unforgettable.
“It was very nice to walk up and see a big smiling face,” Lieck said. “It’s nice to see a very good outcome, especially with a young girl like that.”
Bianca said her bond with Mendez has grown deeper than she ever imagined.
“Honestly, I can’t describe it in words,” she said. “My heart just has so much love for her… she’s like a guardian angel.”
Bianca’s parents hope their story raises awareness among families about the importance of knowing CPR and the importance of getting tested for the rare heart condition that nearly took Bianca’s life.
“You realize how lucky we all were that she was where she was, with the people she needed around her,” Cassandra said.
