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Heartbeats and Hope: The Story of Aria, a Transplant Miracle Child
And the talented professionals who saved her.
At the tender age of six days old, doctors put Aria, a beautiful baby girl, into a state of full-body paralysis.
Her heart, the doctors explained, was too weak to supply enough oxygen to her body to support even miniscule muscle movements without risking her life. For four months she lay still, unable to breathe, eat, or move on her own.
For Aria’s parents, the joyous celebration of a newborn became a marathon of sleepless nights, bedside vigils, and infuriating helplessness. They split their time between Aria and Cory, their five-year-old son, while they waited for a miracle that could only come from the tragic death of another child — a heart transplant.
Aria is a courageous child who touched the souls of many and profoundly influenced the life of one of her dedicated nurses.
This is her story, and the story of the miracle workers who saved her life.
All names are pseudonyms to protect patient and caregiver confidentiality.
A fresh pink nursery
“I want a baby sister,” Cory said when he learned what the growing size of his mother’s belly meant.
