The Fight for Her Life
BURLESON, TEX. – It was a weekend of fun for the Yell family as they vacationed at Jellystone Park in Burleson, Tex. But the family trip quickly turned into one they would never forget.
Tara started to feel unwell, and Tyler, her husband, asked their 10-year-old daughter Emerson to go with her mom to the bathroom, only to see her minutes later running from the bathroom yelling that Tara had passed out. He tried to wake her, but she did not respond. A lifeguard administered CPR while they waited for an ambulance.
Unbeknownst to Tyler, Tara had gone into cardiac arrest. From the moment the emergency team arrived at the scene to their arrival at Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South, Tara was resuscitated no less than eight times. “She was further gone than I even realized,” shared Tyler.
Tara flatlined in the ER and was once again stabilized to go to the Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU) where she would stay for two weeks, fighting for her life. “There was a wonderful charge nurse who kept us updated every step of the way as they were trying to determine what had happened,” said Tyler. While the family fought for Tara’s life, the CVICU team fought that battle with them. “She became the heart of our ICU. Everyone was pulling for her. She was our inspiration. We see so many sad things, and she was our hope,” said Emily Conn, a team leader of the CVICU.
Over those two weeks, Tara endured multiple treatments, including an induced coma. The Yell family and the care team stood firm in their faith and prayed together for Tara’s healing. “One of the main reasons God called us to Huguley and our profession is that we get to walk through the journey with our patients and their families,” said Katherine Howell, a team leader of the CVICU. “You experience something so emotional with these families and to be that type of support is an honor.”
Tara has now made a full recovery after the team identified electrical issues with her heart. Her experience left a lasting impact on not only her family but also the team that stood by her side throughout her healing journey. She shared, “When I think of the hands and feet of Jesus, I think about how loving and comfortable they made me feel. I think about Huguley.”
By Kaitlyn Braddock
Marketing and Communications Manager at Texas Health Huguley
