A heartwarming video of a 6-year-old boy gleefully announcing that he’s getting a new heart is melting hearts online. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Ohio hospital shared the footage of John-Henry, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, or HLHS, a rare congenital condition. The little boy was waiting for a life-saving heart transplant for six months. So, when a donor confirmed the availability of the organ, John-Henry beamed with happiness and shared his excitement with all his friends at Cleveland Clinic Children’s.
Sharing the video, the hospital wrote, “‘I’m getting a new heart!’ We won’t forget the day 6-year-old John-Henry learned a donor heart was available for him. John-Henry had been waiting for a life-saving heart transplant for six months before he and his family received the news.”
Watch the video below:
“I’m getting a new heart!”♥️
We won’t forget the day 6-year-old John-Henry learned a donor heart was available for him.
John-Henry had been waiting for a life-saving heart transplant for six months before he and his family received the news.
More: https://t.co/9ZdE0oBeHb pic.twitter.com/YjeAWGAbal
— Cleveland Clinic Children’s (@CleClinicKids) August 27, 2024
According to Cleveland Clinic Children’s, HLHS occurs when the left side of the heart doesn’t form as expected during pregnancy, and the condition impacts blood flow through the heart. This leads to the right side of the heart having to pump blood to the lungs and the rest of the body, causing the right side of the heart to become overworked.
The six-year-old needed multiple surgeries to treat his rare condition. However, after the little boy started to experience heart failure, doctors determined a heart transplant was his only option. John-Henry was placed on the transplant waiting list in December 2023, and in May 2024, he and his family learned they had a match.
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The 6-year-old’s mother, Sarah Lee, recalled when she told her son the life-changing news. “I walked in the room teary-eyed to tell John-Henry, and when I told him, he said, ‘I have to go tell everybody,'” Ms Lee said.
She added that she wanted to share her son’s story to raise more awareness about organ donation. “Organ donation saved my son’s life. Without it, he wouldn’t be living right now. We’re going to take great care of this special heart, and we’re forever grateful to our donor and their family,” Ms Lee said.
