On what seemed like a normal day, 20-year-old fitness lover Jazmin Garza suddenly collapsed at the gym. Her boyfriend realized her “heart and breathing had stopped” and performed CPR until paramedics revived her with a defibrillator. But her ordeal was far from over.
On the way to the hospital, Jazmin’s heart stopped multiple times, one lasting five minutes. The lack of oxygen damaged her lungs, kidneys, and heart. Doctors placed her on life support, warning her family that “only a miracle” could bring her back.
Before the collapse, Jazmin had consumed a caffeine-heavy energy drink. She recalled feeling pale and dizzy before passing out. Her boyfriend said it looked like an epileptic episode, though she had no history of seizures.
In the hospital, she was kept alive by machines: ECMO to oxygenate blood, dialysis for her kidneys, and a defibrillator to regulate her heart. Tests gave no clear cause, though doctors believed the 200mg of caffeine might have triggered a crisis combined with an undiagnosed condition.
After two weeks, Jazmin began to recover. She now warns others: don’t ignore symptoms like palpitations, and be cautious with high-caffeine drinks.