Heart condition sidelines Taylor

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A minor heart defect has sidelined Georgia Tech safety Cooper Taylor for the past three weeks. However, the problem has been surgically repaired and Taylor said he hopes to return to the field as soon as he has healed, perhaps in a few weeks.

The team had listed Taylor as injured and unavailable on its weekly releases but had never disclosed his condition, citing privacy concerns.

Taylor experienced an extremely  rapid heart beat and dizziness during the first quarter of the Miami game Sept. 17. He was diagnosed a day later with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Those diagnosed with WPWS experience a loss of synchronization between the upper and lower chambers of the heart. The condition can become progressively worse if not corrected.

Taylor said he has experienced symptoms in the past, but thought he was just out of shape. He said the episode during the Miami game was the most severe. He underwent surgery at Piedmont Hospital the following week.

Former Tech player Levi  Walls was diagnosed with WPWS in 2007. Levi's younger brother and starting defensive tackle Logan Walls had a similar, but lesser, condition diagnosed the same year. Both underwent the same procedure as Taylor to correct the abnormality.

Taylor, a 6-4, 208-pound Atlanta native, started the season's first three games and has 16 tackles this season. He had 69 tackles last year and forced a fumble that secured last year's 31-28 win against Florida State.