Colorado
Genetic testing, diagnosis of rare disease helps provide answers to Colorado Springs family
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – A Colorado Springs family is sharing their story this Rare Diseases Day after genetic testing brought answers and closure to their family after a number of scary situations.
According to Jessica and Jeremy Mehring, their 4-year-old daughter Cassie has a condition called PPA2-related mitochondrial disease, a genetic mutation that impacts how Cassie’s cells produce energy and how that interacts with her heart. Genetic testing revealed the diagnosis after Cassie suffered a cardiac arrest at just two years old. At the time, her parents thought she was having a seizure.
“When the paramedics got here they were able to resuscitate her in the ambulance on the way to the hospital,” Jessica told 11 News, “and we were told then it was a cardiac arrest.”
The situation was especially scary to the Mehrings after they had a 19-month-old daughter named Scarlett who had died unexpectedly almost a decade earlier. After numerous additional tests on Cassie and a lack of answers, a genetic researcher suggested genetic testing.
The diagnosis not only provided the answer for Cassie’s condition, but it also gave them some closure surrounding Scarlett, who they say they believe had the same condition.
“The genetic test didn’t just give us the answer to what happened with Cassie…” Mehring said. “And not just the answer, but also, you know, what to watch out for to hopefully stop this from ever happening again.”
Some of the triggers the family said can cause a cardiac arrest in people with PPA2 are viral illnesses, ingesting alcohol or alcohol-related ingredients (like vanilla extract or vinegar), and a drop in blood sugar. According to her parents, Cassie had just gotten over a stomach bug and was dealing with a blood sugar drop from illness and issues eating due to the virus when she had her cardiac arrest.
Dr. Aaina Kochhar with Children’s Colorado’s Department of Genetics and Metabolism told 11 News that there can be many causes of concern that could point to signs of a rare disease or something that might require genetic testing to better understand.
“Anything that deviates from the trajectory of a child’s normal development for which there is no other good explanation, you know, might be suspicion for an underlying genetic condition,” Dr. Kochher said.
According to Dr. Kochher, PPA2 does not have a cure, but once diagnosed, it is more easy to manage. Cassie was given an ICD after diagnosis, which monitors her heart rhythm and can help restore it when there’s an irregularity.
Now, Cassie is “thriving” and attending preschool, something her parents said they were unsure would ever be able to happen due to the unexpected nature of her illness.
“Cassie is an incredible, incredible little girl.”
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2026 Colorado Activities Association Boys 4A State Swimming and Diving Championships
- May 8-9, 2026
- Thornton, CO
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
A year after winning its first- ever state title, Monarch High School stayed on top at the Colorado Activities Association Boys 4A State Swimming and Diving Championships.
Monarch successfully defended its title, earning 355.5 points to outlast runner-up JK Mullen, which came in with 344 points. Glenwood Springs was third at 340.5.
“It was nerve-wracking,” senior Tobin Howe said to the CHSAA site. “We were about halfway through the meet and going into finals we knew if we kept our seed places, we had enough points to win. Mullen was doing really well and I was a bit nervous. I was thinking it might come down to the last event. It almost did, but we pulled through.”
Howe, a Washington University commit, was the leading point-getter for Monarch, claiming individual titles in the 200 IM (personal best 1:51.67) and the 100 breast (55.32).
The other individual standout was Cheyenne Mountain senior Barrett Kerrigan, an Air Force commit. Kerrigan won the 200 free in a personal best time of 1:40.46 and repeated as champion in the 500 free with a time of 4:36.79.
Glenwood Springs won two of the three relays, first claiming the 200 medley in a time of 1:31.78 behind the team of Breck Boyd (22.47), Brian Molloy (25.74), Andrew Molloy (22.79) and Tyson Boyd (20.78).
In the 200 free relay, the Glenwood Springs team of B. Boyd (20.64), Molloy (20.94), Tennyson Sipes (21.96) and T. Boyd (20.64) won in a time of 1:24.18.
The 400 free relay was captured by JK Mullen in 3:07.12 behind the team of Oscar Valdez (47.25), Asher Howe (46.58), Sam Lombardo (48.93) and Thomas Bradac (44.36).
Other individual winners were:
- Bradac, a TCU commit and senior at JK Mullen, won the 50 free in 20.21.
- Evergreen senior Henry Palmquist won the 1-meter diving event with 621.15 points.
- Monarch junior Isaac Skillern captured the 100 fly in a time of 50.11.
- Mountain View senior JJ Phillips, a George Washington commit, won the 100 free in a personal best time of 44.42.
- Breck Boyd, a UC-Santa Barbara commit, won the 100 back in a time of 49.92 after taking 2nd in the event last year.
Team Standings — Top 5
- Monarch, 355.5
- JK Mullen 344
- Glenwood Springs, 340.5
- Littleton, 221.5
- Mountain View, 216
Colorado football made another splash on the class of 2027 recruiting trail Tuesday, landing a commitment from three-star edge rusher Ba’Roc Willis.
Willis, a former Alabama commit, is coming off an official visit this past weekend and clearly came away impressed, announcing his decision just days after. 247Sports ranks the pass rusher as the No. 581 overall player in the class of 2027, the No. 48 linebacker and No. 22 player from Alabama.
Colorado got off to a slow start with the class of 2027, but has picked it up over the last few months. Four-star quarterback Andre Adams joined in April, as did three-star offensive lineman Kenny Fairley. It is still early, but the program has started to pick up steam with its 2027 recruiting class as the summer recruiting season nears.
After Willis, here is where the Buffaloes’ class of 2027 now ranks nationally.
Colorado football updated class of 2027 recruiting ranking after Ba’Roc Willis’ commitment
- On3: No. 45 overall, No. 6 Big 12
- 247Sports: No. 62 overall, No. 10 Big 12
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