As one family grappled with unthinkable loss, another had their hopes renewed for a healthy future for their son.
For the past two years, Wyatt Lowe of Bedford County, Virginia, has been in and out of the hospital. The toddler was born with a host of medical problems, including a complex heart, congenital heart disease, a missing spleen, and internal organ irregularities.
He has already been through five open-heart surgeries, yet in spite of all the pain and trauma, his bright smile lights up any room he’s in!
Wyatt’s mom, Katie Lowe, has been keeping people updated on her Warriors for Baby Wyatt Facebook page. This past summer, his situation got so bad that his family feared the worst. He was on dialysis due to heart failure, and the only way to save him was a heart transplant. The family prayed for a miracle as they watched their son get sicker with each passing day.
One evening, just before 10 p.m., the family got the call they’d been waiting for: They had found a donor for Wyatt!
The next morning, Wyatt underwent surgery to receive his new “hero heart.” That evening, as his mother sat by his bedside and listened to the heart beating on its own within her son’s chest, she was overcome with emotion.
“It was the perfect match,” she wrote on Facebook. “He is off bypass as well. They will now monitor him for a few hours in the OR to make sure no bleeding occurs and the heart continues to function like it should. Praise God.”
“Thank you to the Donor family, I have had you on my mind all day,” Katie continued. “Your selfless act of giving the gift of life in your time of sorrow. I am so sorry. Please know that not a day will go by that I won’t think of you and the precious gift you have given us. We will carry your hero with ours, I promise to fight for them. Your hero is now beating inside of mine.”
Since his surgery, Wyatt’s condition has continued to improve. He was taken off dialysis and is carefully being weaned off ventilation and fluids. While he’s not out of the woods just yet, his prognosis is good and his care team is hopeful!
The family is keenly aware that Wyatt’s recovery wouldn’t have been possible without the selfless act of organ donation.
“I can never thank them enough for giving my son another chance at life in their darkest moments,” Katie wrote. “My mama heart is shattered for that family. Thank you for saying yes in your time of need.”
This precious boy and his loved ones have been through so much! We are sending our sincere gratitude to his organ donor and warm thoughts to everyone involved as they find their way forward.
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