“I don’t want that to ever happen again.”
Those were Kayla Burt’s words explaining her decision to retire from basketball. That simple, unscripted sentence may have been the most evocative moment of the 30-minute press conference announcing the end of her competitive career.
Most of the Puget Sound area already knows that Burt was a basketball star at Arlington High School who played for a year and a half at the University of Washington before suffering an unexplained cardiac arrest in December 2002. She sat out the next season, then returned in 2004 with an implanted defibrillator. Burt’s return earned her the admiration of fans, a host of awards for her inspirational comeback, and a front-page appearance in USA Today.
During a game on Jan. 12, Burt’s defibrillator went off for the first time. When she learned it had done so in response to an irregular and potentially dangerous heart rhythm, she decided it was time to stop playing.
The Huskies have enjoyed remarkable success this season, far exceeding expectations. The key to their success has been effort and determination. The impact of those traits is the very thing that makes basketball an inspiring game – effort and determination produce immediate, tangible rewards on the court. Players who try harder and push themselves to the brink can make a difference even if they lack great height or a sure-fire jump shot.
On a team where effort and determination have been the currency of victory, Burt’s own determination to play hard and help her team however possible stands out and sets a standard for the other players.
Kayla Burt’s story is compelling by any measure. It is especially so for me, because I suffered a near-fatal heart attack at a relatively young age and watched her return to the game even as I was going through my own rehabilitation.
When Burt said she didn’t want her defibrillator to go off again, the sentiment was one I immediately recognized. The fear and helplessness – not to mention outright pain – created by a malfunctioning heart are powerful and not easily forgotten. The desire not to have it happen again has driven much of my own behavior for two years: giving exercise and rest priority over work and even friends, purging some of my favorite foods from my diet, and diligently taking drugs that keep me from doing active things I love, like playing basketball and summiting mountains.
Burt gives every indication of being a reluctant celebrity. She drops occasional hints that she wishes people would talk more about basketball and less about her medical status. She seems to recognize, though, that there is more to the media attention than mere sensationalism.
By deciding to return to play, Burt showed that there was something she loved enough to pursue it even by taking on a personal risk. That passion and dedication touches the soul of an aspirational people. She also showed the strength to prepare herself emotionally and physically for the game – no easy feat for any player, but even more inspiring in the face of physical obstacles.
By deciding to retire, Burt shows that her passion for life truly is about more than basketball. “I don’t want that to ever happen again” is about more than avoiding pain. It is about preserving yourself for the most important moments, even if you don’t yet know what they will be.
Peter Schalestock is a lawyer living in Renton. He graduated from the University of Washington and Seattle University School of Law, and played basketball in the rain as a child in Skagit County.
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