06/19/2025
Wherever 9-year-old Adeline goes, her AED is probably with her.
She was born with a long QT syndrome, a condition that could cause her heart to malfunction at any moment. The automated external defibrillator could save her life.
Adeline's parents, Alessandra and Aaron Dinin, learned about the heart problem on the day Adeline was born. A week later, she had surgery. Adeline has lived a mostly ordinary life, except for the AED, and her mission to raise awareness on social media.
Adeline enjoys creating content for her more than 4,000 followers at http://spr.ly/61894MY71. In one video post, she dances near an AED with the caption, "Wait, do you know where an AED is?"
"I love making the dance videos," Adeline said.
"It's to increase awareness about long QT syndrome, to get people thinking about AEDs and notice them, and to encourage people to get CPR trained," Alessandra said. "We've been contacted by people from all over the world and we try to help as best as we can."
Adeline doesn't know if her social media posts have directly led to any lives being saved. But she does know that her heart condition made a difference in one life – her dad's.
"Aaron had this condition all along, and he hadn't been treated," Alessandra said. "Adeline was essentially her dad's guardian angel."
Aaron and Adeline's devices and medicines give the family peace of mind. Every day, the Dinins are grateful for Adeline's team.
"If she hadn't been diagnosed right away, we could have found her one day in her crib not breathing," Alessandra said. "We were so fortunate she got diagnosed on day one of her life so we have the infrastructure in place to keep her safe."
