Arizona girl, 12, suffers cardiac arrest while playing soccer

A 12-year-old girl from Phoenix, Arizona, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while playing soccer - and had to receive lifesaving CPR from a teammate's mom. 

Pyper Midkiff collapsed 20 minutes into practice for her youth soccer team Arizona Arsenal on the evening of April 27. 

Her father Matt Midkiff was coaching a different team nearby and sprinted over as soon as he got the call. 

Pyper received CPR from a teammate's mom until the ambulance arrived, but lost her pulse again on the way to the nearest hospital.

She was then flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where she is in a stable condition and is improving.    

Pyper Midkiff collapsed 20 minutes into practice for her youth soccer team Arizona Arsenal

Her father Matt said she had played soccer for six years and never had any medical issues prior

Pyper and her twin sister, Emori, are star athletes on their youth soccer team.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Pyper's mother Jessica gave an update on her condition three days into her stay at the hospital.

'Update: She’s tried to get out of bed & reach for her lines & breathing tubes several times today. Oh she’s strong alright! She’s #pyperstrong,' she wrote.

'We’re believing in a full recovery for Pyper, & we feel everyone else is too!'

Pyper's father spoke to Arizona's Family on Sunday - shortly after she opened her eyes for the first time since suffering the heart attack.   

He said when he was alerted that Pyper had collapsed, his first thought was to question how this could have happened. 

Matt said the family had learned in the days since the cardiac arrest that Pyper had a genetic condition that had gone undiagnosed. 

'Everyone thinks their kid is special. Pyper has something special in her, and the world needs more people like her,' he said. 

'The world needs more Pypers, and seeing what I just saw gives me more hope [and] faith.

'Sports and soccer is more than competition and the support over the past few days shows that everybody gets it over the past few days. Family is important and the kids and the players.'

Pyper's mother Jessica posted a photo on Facebook of the gifts her daughter had received 

Pyper's team Arizona Arsenal showed its support for her and her family over the weekend

Pro team Phoenix Rising FC showed its support to Pyper and her family with a special jersey

Pyper and her twin sister, Emori, are star athletes on their youth soccer team Arizona Arsenal

Pyper’s road to recovery will likely be long as doctors are still unclear how long she was without a pulse. 

Multiple youth soccer teams in Arizona, Utah and Californoa showed their support for Pyper over the weekend by wearing jerseys with her name on them and holding up signs saying 'Prayers for Pyper'.

Pro team Phoenix Rising FC also showed its support to Pyper and her family with a special jersey. 

A GoFundMe created to help the family with medical costs has already raised more than $41,000 - and received over 400 donations.