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Summer
2014 27
couldn’t afford to go. And yet, his love
for sports didn’t take away from his aca-
demics or socializing. The senior econom-
ics major was on the Dean’s Honor List
(he was awarded his BA degree posthu-
mously, with Distinction).
Basically, he had it all. Excellent aca-
demic standing, outstanding athlete, good
friends and a girlfriend he adored - “Sweet
Dina”, as his father referred to her.
“He was a leader who was loved by
his friends,” said Rebeiz. “He would ask
questions to the point of exhausting the
teacher until he made sure that he under-
stood everything.”
He always ate healthy. No drinks – not
even coffee or tea and absolutely no
smoking.
It took months for Rebeiz to accept the
death of his son. Somehow, he had to
rebuild his crumbling world and go back
to being husband and father. But one
thing he could not accept was that his
young healthy son died of an unknown
heart condition.
All kinds of tests were done on Remy
– even sending a blood sample abroad to
be tested. Soon enough, the cause was
revealed: Remy died of a hidden congeni-
tal type of heart arrhythmia called Long
QT Syndrome – which hits young people
between the ages of 12 and 35.
It was a shock for the family. Remy nev-
er showed any signs of heart problems or
physical fragility of any kind.
But this is Long QT Syndrome. It has no
symptoms. Young people – especially ath-
letes – can suddenly collapse and die.
Moreover, it is a mutated gene which
is inherited. More often than not, the
carrier never knows he or she has it. And
unless they exert physical pressure it may
never affect them.
The entire family immediately under-
went tests. All came out clear except one:
John Rebeiz himself. He was the carrier.
In his 60s, he is well above the age of
danger. Still, it was time for much soul
searching. Life has put Rebeiz through
many trials. He fought each and every one.
He knew that he now had another
fight on his hands. He owed it to Remy.
The Rebeiz family threw themselves
into research. Soon enough, they started
hearing about other young athletes who
were collapsing across the country.
“There have been many cases in Leba-
non,” he said. “And yet no one is talking
or doing anything about it. It’s more seri-
ous than people think.”
And yet the solution is simple: perform
Electrocardiograms (EKG/ECG) on all
school and university athletes. This unob-
trusive and inexpensive test would have
saved Remy’s life.
In January 2014, the family launched
the Remy Rebeiz Young Heart Foundation
(RRYH). The aim is to make it compulsory
for all athletes to undergo EKG/EGC tests
and to make Automated External Defibril-
lators (AED) - a lightweight portable
device that immediately restarts the
heart following arrest - mandatory in all
public and private institutions. Moreover,
everyone - including students – should
be trained to use them. Only an AED can
save the life of the victim.
AUB reports that two of its students
have already been saved by AEDs.(IC
currently owns two AEDs in its Ras Beirut
Campus and nurses are fully trained in
using them).
“Every time I see a kid on the street,”
said Rebeiz, “I say God save him because
the pain that his family would suffer from
losing a child is too unbearable. I want
to spare others this pain. These young
athletes don’t have to die. It’s so silly to
lose our children like this when we can
easily save them.”
For more information about RRYH
contact: rryh09@gmail.com or call: (961)
03273174 (John Rebeiz) or 03322159
(Sylvia Rebeiz). Facebook: Remy Rebeiz
Young Heart Foundation.
Class of 2010 (Remy on table)
The Rebeiz Family: Remy, Diala, John, Dima, Sylvia