Deaf Student's Autopsy Reveals Rare Condition

From: News4Jax.com, FL - Jan 29, 2004

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- The St. Johns County Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death for a 17-year-old deaf student who died during wrestling practice Monday was "a fatal cardiac arrhythmia" -- or an irregular heartbeat.

Esdras D'Haiti, a junior at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, collapsed while watching wrestling practice Monday evening. He was taken to Flagler Hospital and pronounced dead at 6 p.m.

According to the autopsy, a rare condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, makes the heart increase massively in size. The cause of the disease is unknown, and it is often seen in young athletes who unexpectedly collapse.

Unfortunately, it cannot be detected in a routine exam, and the first symptom is often fatal, unexpected cardiac arrhythmia.

School officials said this was D'Haiti's first year at the residential school. He was described as a good student, and member of both the wrestling and football teams.

Funeral arrangements in Miami are still pending.

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