Gym scare leads to life-changing diagnosis for Virginia high school athlete

CHESTER, Va. — What started as a normal day in the gym for Thomas Dale High School athlete Dex Richardson ended up changing his life.

"I was in gym class. Just having fun," Richardson said of that February day on the pull-up bar. "Tried to stretch my back, like I usually do at home. I guess I stretched too much."

Richardson felt dizzy and passed out.

"The prankster that he is, almost thought he was joking around,"Coach Kevin Tucker said. "When I walked over, and he was smiling at me, I was like, Alright, he's messing around. And then I saw the blood on his face."

Richardson suffered a gash above his left eye and was tested for a concussion from his fall.  As a precaution, his family doctor advised an EKG and heart ultrasound.

It ultimately saved his life.

Images of his heart revealed his coronary arteries on the opposite side of his heart. He was diagnosed with an anomalous coronary artery. That's a congenital heart defect that, if detected late or not at all, could be fatal. Symptoms include chest tightness, shortness of breath and fainting.

"I didn't even know what the condition was before this. So I didn't really think I had a condition. So yeah, all I thought was the gash," the student-athlete said.

Richardson needed open heart surgery and had to step away from athletics.

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"You know, to have a perfectly healthy, one of your best athletes fall out like that and then to get that diagnosis. It was shocking," Coach Tucker said. "It kind of made you go home and hug your kids a little tighter that night."

Richardson leaned on support from family and the Thomas Dale community.

His mom also learned about Tucker Mullen, a University of Virginia lacrosse player, who faced the same medical challenge.

"I said I need to talk to Tucker. So, I find Tucker on Instagram. He's the nicest young man, ever so supportive," Crystal Richardson said.

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Dex Richardson underwent his six and a half hour surgery in May. It was performed by the same doctor who treated Mullen.

"I actually felt better than I was before surgery," Richardson said. "My body has improved. I feel like I'm getting stronger and better."

His father said the the biggest thing he's noticed in his son is the maturity that came from the adversity.

"Even in recovery when he when the sedation was wearing off, when he was able to speak and speaking coherently. I can I can see a difference," father Dexter Richardson said.

While the teenager cannot participate in contact sports for three to six months, he hopes to be ready for the start of basketball season this winter.

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For now, his contribution to the football team looks a little different.

"I work with like the DBs and the coaches. So it was really fun, really, actually, I get out there have fun with them. Like I'm still playing," he said.

"I think other players look up to him because of him being able to do that," Coach Tucker added. "A little bit different role for him, but at the same time still contributing, is that positive influence we need in this building."

While he continues his physical recovery, the question of why a relatively healthy high school athlete needing open heart surgery, is something that's not going away.  Dex and his family still wonder why this happened and hoped sharing their story could help other families.

"I want others to hear about this story. So they can go get checked out," Richardson said.

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