LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Las Vegas family is calling it a Christmas miracle. Their one-year-old son is finally back home recovering in a valley hospital after a life-saving heart transplant surgery in California.
Crew Cortez has become a symbol of strength and hope at Sunrise Children’s Hospital’s pediatric cardiac intensive care unit.
“He is my miracle. He’s my miracle child,” said Dalyse Cortez, Crew’s mother.
Baby Crew has been fighting for his life since the day he was born. He has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare and serious congenital heart defect.
Multiple surgeries and transplant
He’s had six heart surgeries, the most recent one a lifesaving heart transplant over the summer at UCLA Children’s Hospital.
“It’s been a journey, and it’s a hard one because the five, six months that I was in LA,” his mother said.
“For the rest of his life, we’re going to be in and out of hospitals and doctor’s offices. Transplant isn’t a cure, but it’s definitely given us another opportunity with our son,” she said.
Crew is now back in Las Vegas with family.
“It was a huge blessing to have him home for Thanksgiving,” his mother said.
Recovery and hope
Doctors are monitoring closely as his body adapts to the new heart.
“My husband and I have gone through so much. And our son, we’ve seen, this is our first and only child. And to see him the way he is now is just, like everything we’ve gone through is just, it’s the light at the end of the tunnel,” she added.
“It’s our second home. I think I’m here more than I am at my own house,” she said. “But the CICU team here at Sunrise is amazing. They’re now our second family.”
For now, Crew will continue what he does best, beat the odds, and remain hopeful he’ll get to spend Christmas for the first time at home.
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