Family Gift Advances Cardiac Health Education
A $40,000 gift from Bridget Marie Porter and Keith Metz is helping the University of San Francisco’s School of Nursing and Health Professions prepare future health care professionals to recognize and respond to rare but potentially life-threatening cardiac and aortic conditions.
The gift is named in memory of the couple’s son, Connor, who died in 2020 at age 13 from an aortic dissection caused by undiagnosed Loeys-Dietz syndrome, a rare genetic condition that can affect the body’s connective tissue and blood vessels.
Their family gift establishes the Connor Metz Fund for Rare but High-Consequence Cardiac and Aortic Conditions. The fund will support hands-on training that helps students prepare for real-world patient care.
This includes simulation equipment for cardiac, respiratory, and critical care, along with training in CPR, resuscitation, and bedside care. Students will also practice recognizing and responding to urgent medical conditions, helping them build practical skills and identify warning signs.
In fall 2026, USF welcomed David H. Liang, MD, PhD, a cardiologist with Keck Medicine of USC who specializes in aortic diseases, for a guest lecture.
The presentation featured the Connor Metz case study, examining the circumstances surrounding Connor’s death and the importance of recognizing conditions such as Loeys-Dietz syndrome and Marfan syndrome before they lead to complications.
Connor’s mother and brother attended to share the family’s experience. Students learned how to use USF’s pediatric heart and lung simulator and portable electrocardiogram (ECG) machine, with demonstrations of diagnostic tools such as echocardiograms. The presentation introduced students to the ways health care providers can assess and respond to rare disorders and serious aortic conditions.
For Porter and Metz, supporting education is part of a broader effort to prevent similar losses. Since Connor’s death, Bridget Porter has become a trained Ritter Aorta Advocate and taken on leadership roles with the John Ritter Aortic Foundation for Aortic Health and the Marfan Foundation. She also organizes community screening events that have helped dozens of Bay Area residents receive free echocardiograms.
Connor’s older brother, Nick Metz, is also carrying this commitment forward. A junior at Santa Clara University studying biology, he hopes to pursue a career in patient care and aortic research.
Through their generosity, the Porter and Metz family is extending Connor’s legacy into health care education, helping future health professionals recognize rare conditions earlier and respond with greater confidence.
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