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WEST VALLEY CITY — After falling from a slide last week, a 3-year-old continues to fight for her life. The cause of the fall was a mystery at first, but doctors now believe a tumor caused the girl to go into cardiac arrest.
KayLee Cox was playing outside on May 2 when she fell off a slide and sustained critical injuries. She was taken by ambulance to Pioneer Valley Hospital before being transported by helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Center.
The cause of the incident was initially unknown, but an echocardiogram revealed a tumor in the girl's left ventricle artery. Doctors determined the tumor caused the toddler to go into cardiac arrest, which led to her fall.
Dixie Clark and Casey Walker have known the Cox family since KayLee was 4 months old.
"Our daughters are best friends," Walker said.
The two families had planned to spend time together on May 2, the day KayLee was hospitalized, but instead Clark and Walker rushed to support their friends at KayLee's bedside.
For several days, there were more questions than answers about KayLee's condition.
"At first, they believed she had fallen off the slide because she was playing with the dog," Clark said. "What really happened is she went into cardiac arrest, and that's what caused the fall."
KayLee's mother is credited for saving her daughter's life, rushing to her side when she saw her collapse and immediately beginning CPR, Clark said.
She's making baby steps in the right direction ... She's trying to show us that she's in there, and she's a fighter and not going to give up.
–Dixie Clark, family friend
The tumor may have been present "like a ticking time bomb" since KayLee was born, Walker said.
For now, the family is focused on their daughter, who was upgraded from critical condition Thursday but remains unconscious.
"She's making baby steps in the right direction," Clark said. "There's little things here and there. She's trying to show us that she's in there, and she's a fighter and not going to give up. That's very KayLee."
KayLee is a happy, energetic girl, Walker said. At first, he couldn't understand how the young, healthy child who recently accompanied his daughter to an indoor amusement park could suddenly be battling a tumor.
"She plays hard here, jumps up and down, and hits the ground hard," he said. "We would have thought something would have come up."
An outpouring of support for the Cox family has emerged on a Facebook page set up by friends after the accident, asking for Prayers for KayLee. An account* has also been opened at America First Credit Union in KayLee's name to help with rapidly mounting medical costs.
"With all the medical costs and them having to miss work, the finances are probably going to be a struggle for them," Walker said.
For those unable to help financially, prayers are requested for the little girl Walker described as "able to bring people together in big ways."
"Who knew it was going to be something this big?" he said. "It's unfortunate this is happening."
Contributing: Jennifer Stagg
*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
