09/30/2026
❤️ World Heart Day ❤️
This one will always be personal for us.
Our sweet girl is a heart warrior.
When she was born, we had no idea there was anything wrong with her heart. Then, during her routine 24-hour newborn checkup, the incredible nurses at Allen Birthing Center realized something wasn’t right.
That checkup saved her life.
We were told that had they not caught her heart defect when they did, she likely would not have woken up the next morning.
At just 5 days old, our brand-new baby had her first heart surgery.
She would have two more heart surgeries before she was even five months old—and then, at five months, we handed our tiny girl over for open-heart surgery.
Those are words you never imagine becoming part of your baby’s story.
And yet… look at her now. ❤️
Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect. And there is no cure for CHD.
There are surgeries. Procedures. Medications. Lifelong monitoring. And some absolutely incredible doctors and nurses who can repair tiny hearts and give children like Addyson the chance to grow up.
But behind every CHD statistic is a baby. A family. Parents sitting beside a hospital bed learning medical terminology they never wanted to know.
And sometimes, years later, there’s a big kid living a big, beautiful life—with a scar on her chest that tells one heck of a story.
Today I’m especially grateful for the nurses who paid attention during one routine newborn check and quite literally changed the course of our lives. For every doctor, surgeon and nurse who cared for her afterward. For the medical advances that gave us our girl. And for every heart family who knows this world all too well.
But most of all, today we celebrate our little miracle.
From a five-day-old heart patient to the strong, funny, determined girl she is today.
That little heart has been through more than most people will ever know.
And goodness, are we grateful it keeps beating. ❤️
Happy World Heart Day to our favorite heart warrior. ❤️🩹