Team Johnathan plans variety of events

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 [email protected].