HOLDEN IT DOWN — Jarron and Dana Franklin-Holden are Co-Founders of Holden Strong Awareness Campaign, a newly-organized non-profit organization that is geared largely toward preventing sudden cardiac events in student athletes by providing affordable annual cardiology physicals — or EKGs — per visit for student-athletes ranging in grades 6 through 12.
DALLAS — For Jarron Cordell Holden and his wife, Dana Franklin-Holden, all that matters is their son is what they describe as a “typical teenager.”
Having resumed what Dana referred to as “much normalcy and quality of life as possible,” she and her husband thought it essential earlier this year to establish a non-profit organization that could greatly benefit and enhance the lives of youths throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
The Holdens are Co-Founders of Holden Strong Awareness Campaign, a newly-organized non-profit organization that is geared largely toward preventing sudden cardiac events in student athletes by providing affordable annual cardiology physicals — or EKGs — per visit for student-athletes ranging in grades 6 through 12.
In addition, Holden Strong Awareness Campaign’smission includes, among other things, offering CPR and AED training and certifications, as well as other community-related enrichment activities that would prove beneficial to student-athletes.
“We as parents are now very passionate about stressing the importance of annual cardiac care in student athletes, because we never want any other family to endure what we experienced first-hand,” Dana told Making Headline News this week.
That about which the Holdens experienced essentially resulted in arguably the biggest scare and shock of their lives.
SAVORING THE ABUNDANT LIFE — Last year, the Holdens’ son, then-13-year-old Jarron Cordell Holden II, had suddenly collapsed then went into an apparent cardiac arrest while playing a pickup basketball game at the Bob Knight Fieldhouse in nearby Duncanville, Texas. According his mother, the couple’s son had expired twice from the time of his collapse and prior to his emergency arrival to nearby Charlton Methodist Hospital. Fortunately for the Holdens, after their son was transported to the Children’s Hospital of Dallas, doctors consequently had informed them that it was due in large part to the swift reactions of first responders that Jarron II is alive today.
Last year, their son, then-13-year-old Jarron Cordell Holden II, had suddenly collapsed then went into an apparent cardiac arrest while playing a pickup basketball game at the Bob Knight Fieldhouse in nearby Duncanville, Texas.
According his mother, the couple’s son had expired twice from the time of his collapse and prior to his emergency arrival to nearby Charlton Methodist Hospital.
Fortunately for the Holdens, after their son was transported to the Children’s Hospital of Dallas, doctors consequently had informed them that it was due in large part to the swift reactions of first responders that Jarron II is alive today.
“Thankfully, there was a working Automated External Defibrillator (or AED) at the facility, and the first responders were literally around the corner and began CPR on him within five minutes,” Dana explained.
Interesting enough, the Holdens don’t shy away from the notion that their relentless faith, coupled with the fervent prayers of family members and friends undoubtedly had played a major role in their son having staged arguably the most dramatic comeback of his young life.
“We also realize and thank God that He revived and restored our son,” said Dana whom, during her son’s unlikely death-to-life encounter, had periodically kept the social media world abreast of the developments surrounding Jarron II.
COMEBACK FOR THE AGES — Oddly, even as Jarron II was left fighting for his life — he was on life support — doctors had ultimately discovered that he did not sustain any brain damage due to loss of oxygen. Still, he had to undergo a battery of sonograms, MRI’s, EKG’s and other procedures. Also, he had to undergo asopen heart surgery four days after his 14th birthday to repair what doctors deemed a congenital heart defect known as anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (or AAOCA).
Surprisingly and much to the delight of the Holdens, Jarron II had returned to school after a 20-day hospital stay that included more than a week in the Intensive Care Unit.
Oddly, even as Jarron II was left fighting for his life — he was on life support — doctors had ultimately discovered that he did not sustain any brain damage due to loss of oxygen. Still, he had to undergo a battery of sonograms, MRI’s, EKG’s and other procedures. Also, he had to undergo asopen heart surgery four days after his 14th birthday to repair what doctors deemed a congenital heart defect known as anomalous aortic origin of a coronary artery (or AAOCA)).
After six weeks of recouping comfortably in his nearby Cedar Hill, Texas home, Jarron II eventually had re-emerged as the typical teenager for which he is widely known.
HIGH FIVES AND FIST BUMPS — Come Saturday, the Cedar Hill and surrounding communities will be afforded the golden opportunity to embrace Jarron II and bask in the glory of his death-to-life experience during a 3-On-3 basketball tournament powered by Holden Strong Awareness Campaign at Dallas’ Paul Quinn College.
Come Saturday, the Cedar Hill and surrounding communities will be afforded the golden opportunity to embrace Jarron II and bask in the glory of his death-to-life experience during a 3-On-3 basketball tournament powered by Holden Strong Awareness Campaign at Dallas’ Paul Quinn College.
The fundraising event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and, according to Dana, it will aid the Holdens mightily in helping them to promote a newly-established non-profit that figures to evolve as a fixture throughout the DFW Metroplex.
“There was no one to compete with when it came to (forming) this organization,” said Dana, a native of New Orleans. “It was born out of our thankfulness to Jesus Christ for sparing our son, Jarron, II’s life.”
All things considered, for the Holdens, all that matters is their son is what they describe as a “typical teenager.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
ABOUT ANDRE: Andre Johnson is a longtime sports journalist and a 2000 graduate of the University of the Memphis with Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. A native of Memphis, Johnson is a former sport reporter Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper and Memphis Sport Magazine. He worked as full-time staffer for The Commercial Appeal from 2000-2002, in which he was the beat reporter for the Memphis Houn’dawgs of now-defunct American Basketball Assocation and the Memphis Xplorers of the arenafootball2 league. He has interviewed numerous sports personalities, most notably Archie Manning, LeBron James, George “Iceman” Gervin, Issac Bruce, Laila Ali, Vince Carter, Paul Westphal, Phil Jackson, Ken Hamlin, Cortez Kennedy, Michael Oher, Kobe Bryant, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, James Harden, Patrick Willis, Stanley Morgan, Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, John Force, Lamar Odom, Alexandra Stevenson, Derek Fisher, Penny Hardaway, Phillip Rivers, Colin Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh, Tyreke Evans, Kirk Ferentz, and O. J. Mayo, among others. To reach Johnson, send email to: [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
Andre Johnson 
In addition, Holden Strong Awareness Campaign’s mission includes, among other things, offering CPR and AED training and certifications, as well as other community-related enrichment activities that would prove beneficial to student-athletes.
“Thankfully, there was a working Automated External Defibrillator (or AED) at the facility, and the first responders were literally around the corner and began CPR on him within five minutes,” Dana explained.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
