Students of Yl: Vivian Jiminez in Overcoming the Impossible

Vivian Jimenez is a member of Yorba Linda High School’s varsity soccer, volleyball team, and track and field team. She’s been playing sports her whole life, constantly bouncing from one sports team to another and wanting to be involved in every type of sport there is. She shares in an interview how “I’ve always enjoyed watching sports with my family and seeing teams come together to win or just to play as one.” Both her parents are dedicated athletes and have always encouraged Vivian to work hard at whatever sport she plays. She learned about her heart condition just this year, a moment that for her, was earth-shattering. She continues to share in an interview how she would experience “the feeling of chest pressure” and “feeling like I couldn’t breathe” while running suicides at practice. Her worried parents immediately sent her to the emergency room. She came out with an explanation for what was happening to her: Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a condition Vivian was born with and that was hibernating within her until recently. 

After she got her diagnosis, she shares how she was “afraid to run, exercise, or participate in any activity as I was not comfortable and was afraid to experience chest pressure, rapid heartbeat or the feeling that I couldn’t breathe.” Her diagnosis was something that prevented her from doing what she loved the most. Fortunately, she was able to see a specialist who performed surgery to help with the symptoms she was feeling and help reintroduce her to a normal lifestyle. 

Although she was scared to go into surgery, she knew it was what needed to be done so that she could play sports again. Not to mention that her surgeon had been performing this type of procedure for 20 years. His at-ease demeanor helped Vivian feel confident that the surgery would be a success. 

The surgery was successful, but despite this, she was still frightened to return to her normal, active lifestyle. Soon enough, her naturally confident demeanor and motivation to return to her passion for sports helped her get back to the level of athleticism she had before the surgery. She shares how her family is “…very supportive and gave her much confidence and strength.” 

Vivian’s strength in overcoming such a difficult time in her life is an inspiration to other athletes who’ve also had to deal with bumps in their careers. With every goal she scores and race she wins, Vivian will know that it was her strength and confidence in overcoming the impossible that got her to where she is now.