Miracle Monday: Camp counselor helps others with heart defects
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - One young lady is proving anything is possible after being diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
We introduce you to Evelyn Myrick, who is now using her story to inspire and help young kids in similar situations.
Myrick was born with a congenital heart defect. However, doctors discovered this when she was 3 years old.
Not too long after, she had her first open heart surgery.
“With that first surgery was a pivotal moment. I still have pictures of it, no one knew what was going on and really scared, but that’s all I knew. My first surgery was at 4, so now at 21 all I know is surgery. All I know is cardiology,” she said.
Augusta Dream Center’s back-to-school bash prepares pupils
A back-to-bash put on by the Augusta Dream Center warmed many hearts Saturday. Before the door opened, there were 400 people waiting, and the number attending just grew and grew.
Because of this, she wasn’t able to do a lot of things growing up.
“A lot of little girls want to do gymnastics, so I could not do it. It was too dangerous, too much could happen. I did cheer in 5th grade and could not do it in middle school because they started doing stunts,” said Myrick.
Myrick moved to the CSRA in middle school and started going to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.
That’s when she was introduced to Camp Strong Heart — a two-day overnight camp for kids and teens with heart conditions.
“Started paddle boarding here, did a rock wall all the way to the top, it was great. I would run around, we did mountain biking, we did a haunted house tour. I never did a haunted house before because I wouldn’t put my heart under stress because I didn’t have the help,” said Myrick.
Learn more about downtown businesses with this coloring book
Friday is National Coloring Book Day, and it just so happens to coincide with Beautify Augusta selling its 2,000 “Downtown Augusta Coloring Book”.
She says it was a way to experience things for the first time with doctors and nurses there.
“Coming to camp, you have friends with the same restrictions and now with the right people around us, we get to do all the things and connect over it. It’s a community I didn’t know I needed until I had it,” said Myrick.
She says now that she is 21, she wanted to become a camp counselor, working alongside others who were once a counselor to her.
Lauren Allen, a camp counselor, said: “We invited her to be a counselor because she loves kids and knows what it’s like to be a heart patient and she’s just amazing.”
Myrick says she is working on becoming a child specialist so that she can continue to help others.
“You’re always going to have this condition, but you can do bigger and better things. You’re not stuck here,” said Myrick.
To this day, Myrick still sees a cardiologist.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
