NASHVILLE — Gabrielle Washington was 6 years old when doctors discovered something she and her family never knew was there. 

There was a problem with her heart. 

Washington was diagnosed with an anomalous coronary artery, a congenital heart defect involving an abnormality in the arteries responsible for supplying blood to the heart. A year later, at 7 years old, she underwent open-heart surgery. 

At an age when most children were worried about school, friends and what they wanted to play next, Washington was learning about hospitals, doctors and a side of health care that would eventually help shape the direction of her life. 

Years later, the scar remains. 

So does the purpose she found because of it. 

Now a middle blocker at Tennessee State, Washington is studying biology on a pre-med track with plans to become an anesthesiologist. Her interest in medicine isn't simply an answer to the question of what she wants to do after volleyball. 

It traces back to being the little girl on the other side of the operating room. 

A Different Introduction to Medicine 

Washington and her family did not know about the abnormality with her heart before it was discovered when she was 6. The diagnosis came during a period when she was also dealing with precocious puberty and receiving medical care at a young age. 

Suddenly, doctors and hospitals became a significant part of her childhood. 

Washington remembers being afraid of doctors. As she grew older, that fear developed into a broader concern about whether the color of her skin could affect the quality of care she received. 

For Washington, those concerns also helped shape her ambitions. 

She hopes to help address racial disparities in health care and become the type of physician who makes patients feel seen, understood and confident in the people responsible for their care. 

The career she is pursuing now puts an unexpected ending on a story that began when she was 6. 

The little girl who once feared doctors now wants to become one. 

And Washington hopes that one day, when a young patient looks across the room and sees her, her presence can make that patient a little less afraid. 

Finding a Community 

Heart surgery also introduced Washington to a community she otherwise might never have known. 

After her surgery, she attended a summer camp for children with heart defects. Instead of hospitals and procedures, her memories from the experience include being outside, having fun and zip lining alongside other children who understood a part of her life that most of her peers could not. 

Washington also became involved with Heart 2 Heart and the New Start Foundation. 

Her connection to the cause became important enough that when opportunities came to receive gifts herself, Washington instead asked for donations. 

Giving back became another way to turn something difficult from her childhood into something capable of helping someone else. 

It is a perspective that has remained with her. 

The Only Girl 

Washington's heart journey is an important part of her story, but it is far from the only thing that defines her. 

Growing up with three brothers, Washington is the only girl in her family. 

That didn't stop her from embracing what she describes as her "big pink girly" personality. 

The Dallas native is an international traveler, will happily tell you about her "raging ADHD" as part of what makes her who she is and isn't allowed to be much of a picky eater. Spinach and cilantro, however, have earned exceptions. 

Her favorite food? 

Deep-fried eggplant. 

That personality carries onto the volleyball court, where Washington describes herself as energetic and aggressive. 

"I play with lots of energy and very aggressively," Washington said. "The game is truly never over until the 25th point is scored." 

That mentality helped turn Washington into one of the top blockers at Dillard University before her move to Tennessee State. 

Washington earned second-team All-HBCUAC honors in 2024 before being named to the first team and HBCUAC All-Tournament Team in 2025. She also established herself among the NAIA's top blockers while gaining championship experience during her time at Dillard. 

Now, she has brought that experience to Nashville. 

Playing for Something Bigger 

Washington's approach to volleyball is grounded in something deeper than competition. 

Her faith plays a central role in the way she approaches both the game and her life. Rather than simply identifying herself by a label, Washington emphasizes believing in Christ and having a relationship with Him. 

When matches become difficult, that relationship helps provide perspective. 

"Knowing that I'm not playing for myself but for God and my teammates," Washington said of what keeps her motivated. 

Her goals at Tennessee State reflect the same team-first mentality. 

Washington wants to establish herself as a dominant presence in the Tigers' front row, but she also wants to be someone her teammates can depend on. She believes building a winning culture requires teammates to spend time together and communicate openly and honestly. 

Her motivation ultimately extends beyond individual recognition. 

"I do it for the glory of God," Washington said. 

Full Circle 

Washington's journey has already taken her places the 7-year-old preparing for open-heart surgery could not have imagined. 

She became a collegiate volleyball player. 

She developed into an all-conference middle blocker. 

She won championships. 

She reached the Division I level at Tennessee State. 

And away from the court, she is working toward a career that will eventually take her back into the same environment that once frightened her. 

Only this time, Washington plans to be standing on the other side. 

She wants to become an anesthesiologist. She wants to help address disparities in health care. She wants patients who may carry some of the same fears she once did to know they have someone in the room committed to caring for them. 

Volleyball will eventually end, and Washington already knows her legacy cannot be measured entirely by blocks, kills or championships. 

"I hope they remember the energy I had on the court and the impact I made on the team," Washington said. 

Her scar tells one part of the story. 

What Washington has chosen to do because of it may ultimately tell a much bigger one.