Imagine holding your breath for two minutes. Now imagine it’s your child’s heart that stops for that long. That’s the terrifying reality Lateishia Curtis faced when her two-year-old daughter, Briar, suffered a severe seizure in April 2025. But what if a tiny device, implanted years earlier thanks to groundbreaking research, was the key to saving her life? This is the story of how science, determination, and a touch of controversy converged to give Briar a second chance.
Briar’s health struggles began even before she was born. Her heart rate in the womb was erratic, and after birth, she lost alarming amounts of weight. Seizures became a frighteningly common occurrence, leaving Lateishia constantly on edge. But the April 2025 seizure was different—it was worse. Lateishia’s quick thinking with CPR brought Briar back, but the battle was far from over. Despite a brief hospital stay, Briar remained weak, lethargic, and unable to even sit up. And this is the part most people miss: silently, inside her chest, a heart monitor—a device rarely seen in toddlers—was recording data that would prove to be her lifeline.
The story of that monitor begins years earlier with Dr. Martin Tristani-Firouzi, a cardiologist and researcher at the University of Utah Health and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. Tristani-Firouzi was investigating the causes of sudden death in young people when he stumbled upon a startling connection: children who died unexpectedly often had genetic mutations linked not only to heart problems but also to severe epilepsy. But here’s where it gets controversial: could epilepsy itself be a hidden risk factor for cardiac issues? This question led him to suggest implanting a loop recorder in Briar, a decision that would later save her life.
A loop recorder is a small, battery-powered device implanted under the skin to continuously monitor heart activity. For a two-year-old, it’s an extraordinary measure, but Briar’s case was anything but ordinary. When the recorder alerted Tristani-Firouzi that Briar’s heart had stopped for over two minutes, he acted swiftly. “Pack your bags,” he told Lateishia. “We need to implant a pacemaker immediately.”
The surgery, performed by pediatric heart surgeon Dr. Reilly Hobbs, was a success. Hobbs credits Tristani-Firouzi’s research for making it possible. “Without that evidence, Briar wouldn’t have gotten a pacemaker,” he says. But is it ethical to implant such devices in young children based on emerging research? Some argue it’s a risk, while others see it as a lifesaving necessity.
Today, Briar is thriving. Lateishia describes her as a “wild, energetic child” who’s enrolled in preschool and enjoying life in ways she never could before. “Everything she’s missed for so long is finally here,” Lateishia says. Both Hobbs and Lateishia emphasize the critical role of research in Briar’s recovery. “Without it, she wouldn’t be here,” Lateishia asserts.
But what do you think? Is the use of experimental or rare treatments in children like Briar a step too far, or is it a justified leap of faith in the name of saving lives? Let us know in the comments—this is a conversation worth having.
