Learn About Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness

This is the heartbreaking story of a little girl from Holmdel named Vienna, who at age 2 passed away from SUDC or Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood in November of 2017.

Vienna was 2.8 years old and healthy when she fell asleep watching TV at home in Holmdel on November 12, 2017, and tragically never woke up. Her death was categorized as SUDC, which is given to a toddler/adolescent/teenager age 1-18 years old, whose death is still unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy, medical record review, and death scene investigation. Even genetic studies did not reveal a cause.

We had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with Vienna's mom, Dr. Denise Wunderler, a sports medicine physician in Freehold and a team physician for USA Volleyball. Shockingly, Denise and her husband are both physicians and never heard of SUDC until it happened to them. She has made it her top priority to pay tribute to the memory of Vienna, and to raise awareness about SUDC. Check out the interview below.

She founded her family's 501C3 Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness, which raises awareness as well as money for much needed research into SUDC, which currently has no public funding.

In addition to that, Denise had an incredible amount of courage to write a message to Vienna soon after she passed away. She sent those heartfelt words to Vienna's favorite musician mr. RAY (Ray Andersen) who immediately wrote music for it. You can see Denise performing the first verse of this heart-wrenching song called I Think About You (Song For Vienna) in the video below.

How you can learn more and get involved. Please visit the Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness website to learn about the organization and how you can help. There are also a couple of upcoming events you can participate in...

Muhlenberg Basketball Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness event. Go to the doubleheader basketball games Saturday, January 25th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Memorial Hall, Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa. to learn about Vienna, SUDC, and Team Vienna. Wear your Team Vienna shirt, or purchase one at the game!

3rd Annual Vienna's Day of International SUDC Awareness. It's Saturday, May 16th from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm and you can participate by (1) Wearing Team Vienna shirt/gear or hot pink (2) being active 4 Vienna  (3) holding a sign "Team Vienna-your location, date" (4) posting your picture on Facebook tagging Denise Wunderler/Team Vienna-SUDC Awareness  AND/OR  #teamvienna4sudcawareness  AND/OR email pic to TeamVienna2018@yahoo.com. Join Team Vienna locally for this special day of awareness and remembrance at the Mary's Place By The Sea 5K in Ocean Grove.

This weekend is a special one for Vienna's family. Her 5th birthday is this Sunday 1/19/20. Please help Team Vienna however you can and we'll continue to keep you updated on events and other ways you can help.

Listen to "I Think About You (Song For Vienna)" as performed by mr. RAY in its entirety: