In pursuing his lifelong passion for athletics, Collin Liberty has never let anything stand in his way. A soccer enthusiast from childhood, Liberty was determined to play the sport in college and then launch a professional soccer career. However, his path to success narrowed at age 16, when his pediatrician detected a heart murmur. Soon after, he was diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve, the most common congenital heart defect.

"It was frustrating because I was in great shape and had no symptoms," he said. "It felt like an invisible condition."

More than 10 years later, when his condition required surgery, Liberty was grateful to undergo the procedure with the world-class experts at the Cedars-Sinai Guerin Family Congenital Heart Program.

After his diagnosis at 16 and under his doctor’s care, Liberty continued to play competitive soccer and ultimately landed a spot on the team at Stanford University. He went on to play in the minor leagues before hanging up his cleats at age 23, in 2019. By then, he lived in Los Angeles and was being monitored by Rose Tompkins, MD, who told him that being a full-time athlete could affect his health in the long term—potentially even shortening his life.

Liberty pivoted to a job in investment banking but also maintained a rigorous fitness schedule, playing sports whenever possible. In 2022, he discovered beach handball and began competing with Team USA, traveling to tournaments in Mexico and Brazil.

At a routine checkup in 2023, Tompkins—who is now director of the Adult Congenital Heart Program in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai—told him his heart valve function had deteriorated sufficiently enough that he needed surgery.

Liberty turned to Richard Kim, MD, surgical director of the Cedars-Sinai Guerin Family Congenital Heart Program, who determined he was an excellent candidate for the Ross procedure, which replaces a diseased aortic valve with the patient’s own valve.

“It’s a complicated surgery, but it is ideal for young patients like Collin. Not only does it allow them to live an active lifestyle, but the Ross procedure also is the only aortic valve replacement option that has the potential to return a patient to a normal life expectancy,” Kim said.

Liberty underwent the procedure in April 2023. Today, at 29, he is as active as ever. He credits his team at Cedars-Sinai for a smooth procedure and for speeding his path to recovery.

Especially for congenital heart patients, scheduling regular health checks with expert doctors is essential for maintaining long-term health, said Jay Pruetz, MD, director of Fetal Cardiology at Cedars-Sinai and associate director of the medical center’s Pediatric Congenital Heart Program.

"Congenital heart conditions like Collin’s are present at birth and can become more pronounced over time,” he said. "At Cedars-Sinai, we are now often able to make cardiac diagnoses in utero, and we can follow that patient and provide critical care through the entire lifespan. Whether you’re an expectant mother, a young person or an adult, visits with an appropriate care provider can help ensure you’re receiving the vital attention and support you need."