Arizona Teen Has Leg Amputated After Collapse at Volleyball Practice - AZ Family

Arizona Teen Has Leg Amputated After Collapse at Volleyball Practice – AZ Family

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“I couldn’t catch my breath, and then I felt dizzy at the same time,” Delilah Mendez said of the moment her life changed on the volleyball court.

The 14-year-old student-athlete at Casa Grande Union High School collapsed during practice two months ago, a health crisis that ultimately led to the amputation of the lower half of her left leg. The incident began when Rosie Mendez received an alarming phone call that her daughter had passed out during practice.

“I thought maybe she was just dehydrated or something small, so I didn’t think anything serious until they told me she didn’t have a pulse,” she told AZ Family. Following the collapse, Delilah was transported to a local hospital before being airlifted to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

There, doctors placed the teenager on a heart and lung machine to sustain her life. Medical staff discovered an underlying heart condition that had previously gone undetected.

After spending two months in the hospital, Delilah has returned home to continue her recovery. While she is currently spending time with her younger brothers and playing video games, the transition has presented significant challenges for the teen. Her mother said that Delilah’s naturally independent nature makes the adjustment to her new physical limitations particularly difficult.

“She is a fighter. She went through a lot, even surprised me of how strong she was with everything, especially her leg. That was really hard for me to tell her about that,” Rosie Mendez told AZ Family.

Despite the long road ahead, Delilah is already working on her mobility with crutches and remains focused on her future. The community in Casa Grande has rallied around the family, with classmates creating T-shirts and signs to help offset rising medical costs. A GoFundMe page has also been established to provide financial support for the Mendez family during this period of rehabilitation.

Delilah’s long-term goal is to regain her ability to play the sport she loves. Before the medical emergency, she had aspirations of earning a college scholarship through volleyball. She is now working toward learning to walk again with a prosthetic, with the ultimate intention of returning to competitive play.

“I want to get through this and learn how to walk again, get a prosthetic and do all the things I used to do,” Delilah said.

Her mother remains optimistic about her daughter’s resilience and her eventual return to the court.

“I believe she is strong, and she’s shown us she is strong, and I believe she’s gonna be back out there, and I will be very proud of her,” Rosie Mendez said.

Support from her peers has been a crucial part of her recovery process thus far.

Delilah said that her teammates have been sending cards, and her best friend, who is also on the team, has been a regular visitor at her home. As she continues to gain strength, the focus remains on her physical therapy and the transition to using a prosthetic device.

Arizona teen amputee athlete pushes for policy changes — Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
A miraculous comeback: Teen volleyball star returns to court following life-threatening accident — WFAA

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