Katie Harris, a single mother of four, remembers the moment she felt herself slipping away. Her vision blurred, her chest tightened, and everything went dark. Behind the wheel on Old Hartford Road, her heart began beating irregularly, and her life hung by a thread. In that critical moment, it was her 14-year-old daughter, Darby, who became her lifeline.
With her mother unconscious in the driver’s seat, Darby managed to steer the car to safety, call 911, and calmly guide first responders to the scene. The teen’s quick actions gave her mother a second chance at life.
“I just remember that she was calm,” Harris said. “She wasn’t crying, she wasn’t screaming. … I can honestly say, if it wasn’t for Darby, I would not be alive.”
Harris, who had no history of heart issues, began experiencing symptoms including rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and dizziness a few days before the incident. As a single mother juggling multiple jobs and her own education, she tried to push through the symptoms. The night before her episode, Harris felt severe neck pain and chest tightness. A nurse practitioner friend urged Harris to seek emergency medical care, but she decided to wait.
The following day, Harris dropped her twin 12-year-old sons William and Waitman off at football practice, where she then picked up Darby, who nearly decided to stay at practice instead of going with her mom. While driving with Darby, Harris realized something was seriously wrong.
“I remember feeling like … I was just about to be gone,” she said. “I told Darby something’s wrong.”
Darby recounted the event, saying her mom’s condition intensified in a matter of moments.
“She got really lightheaded. She thought she was OK, but I told her she had to pull over or it wasn’t going to end well,” Darby said. “We were in the middle of the road, and she put her head back. I wasn’t thinking anything of it, but I was also on the phone with 911. She blacked out for a couple of seconds and I leaned her seat back. We were only going like 10 miles per hour. She woke up a couple of seconds later. … I got her pulled over and helped her turn a little bit.”
Darby got out and went to her mother’s side of the car to check on her.
“She felt clammy, and her breathing was really, really low,” Darby said. “She said, ‘I feel like if I talk, my heart’s gonna stop.’ I could literally see her heart beating through her chest. She was trying her hardest to stay calm. She got really pale, and she was just definitely not herself.”
Darby called 911, providing detailed information to dispatchers while comforting her mother as Harris regained consciousness.
Firefighters and paramedics arrived shortly and rushed Harris to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, where doctors identified she had ventricular tachycardia, which occurs when the heart’s lower chambers beat too fast. Still, Harris experienced four more episodes of ventricular fibrillation, a similar life-threatening condition that can lead to collapse and sudden cardiac arrest, while in the hospital.
Harris was later transferred to UK HealthCare in Lexington for advanced treatment. After extensive testing, doctors implanted a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a device designed to shock Harris’s heart back to a normal rhythm if the condition recurs.
Harris returned home on November 23 to her four children — Darby, William, Waitman, and 16-year-old RaeLynn. While she is grateful to be alive, the experience has left Harris shaken.
“I’ve always thought I was OK with the idea of death, but now at look at it in a different light,” Harris said. “All I could think about in the hospital was what would happen to my kids if I wasn’t here.”
Harris said the ICD gives her some level of comfort, but she isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Even though I have a life-saving device in me, I still am scared that something’s going to happen,” she said. “This is definitely the most tragic thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Harris said she had a rough time in the hospital, expressing deep gratitude for her community that comforted her day in and day out. She said they rallied around her with meal trains, a GoFundMe, and emotional support.
“I’m very grateful for my whole village,” Harris said. “Of course, I have amazing friends, but they went above and beyond to take care of me.”
Harris is temporarily unable to work or drive while she recovers, making the support vital for her family.
“I cannot express how grateful I am for my family, friends, and community who have supported me through this unimaginable journey,” Harris said. “Most importantly, I want to highlight the vital role that teaching children safety measures can play in emergencies. My daughter Darby’s quick thinking and bravery saved my life — a moment that underscores the importance of empowering our kids with knowledge and confidence to act when it matters most.”
Harris said she was proud of how she’s taught her children to stay aware in serious situations, and that was put on full display with Darby maintained her composure to call 911.
“Some people think that that scares a kid,” she said. “… I think those are open and open conversations that you need to have with your children. I think people things for granted sometimes, and don’t realize that you really do need to sit down and have those conversations with your children. Obviously, mine saved my life.”
Harris describes Darby as her guardian angel.
“I don’t know if God had her in his hands and he was walking her through it, but there was a reason why she wanted to stay with me, and He made that clear,” she said.
Darby said the last few weeks have been hard on the family, and they’re all thankful that Harris is back home. Darby said the experience made them really appreciate the time they have together.
“It was definitely hard on us, so her being home is a relief,” she said. “Spending time with family is important because you never know how much something can change in less than a minute.”
Harris shared a similar final thought about the power of love and family:
“As a single mom of four incredible children, they are my world,” Harris said. “Their love and resilience inspire me to keep going, even in the toughest moments. This experience has been life-changing, and I hope it serves as a reminder to others about the power of preparation, love, and the unbreakable bond of family.”
