Austin’s road to recovery was easier because she was in such great shape, but that does not mean it was easy. She believes the emotional trauma of dealing with a cardiac arrest rivals the physical difficulties.
Austin said she lost three years of her memory, recalling only brief snippets of the years before, during, and after the event. She was in heart failure, so she slept 18 hours a day and became completely reliant on others. A wife and mother of two, she focused on getting stronger each day.
That’s when tennis came in.
“I felt like my identity had been taken from me,” Austin said. “For me, being an athlete is how I identified myself. I felt good about my prowess as an athlete, and then I couldn't even walk a block. So when I was recovering and able to start doing things again, I became laser-focused on tennis because that gave me confidence again. It made me feel good and strong.”
Slowly, Austin learned how to make tennis work for her. She plays timed matches and third-set tiebreaks. When her heart rate gets too high, her arrhythmias get worse, putting her at risk for another cardiac arrest. The arrhythmias also make her sick — something her doubles partner has learned the signs of. When this happens, Austin knows she needs to take 30 seconds to get back in rhythm. To get her heart back in rhythm.
Austin credits tennis for giving her back her confidence, her identity as an athlete and what she considers tennis’ greatest gift: an incredible network of friends.
These days, Austin organizes tennis round robins, where she teaches participants CPR and raises funds for the organization, Go Red for Women. Austin is passionate about empowering people and educating them about the importance of getting to someone quickly and knowing what to do. Bystander CPR increases survival two to three times.
The support from the tennis community now extends to a larger level.
"We're excited about our new partnership with the American Heart Association of Philadelphia,” Bridges said. “USTA Middle States is looking forward to working with the AHA to help promote the heart healthy benefits of playing tennis."
You can learn more about Austin’s story by clicking here.
For more information about the AHA of Philadelphia and Middle States partnership, contact Renee Bridges bridges@ms.usta.com.
