Alexandria NelsonA baby who was born with half a heart has smiled for the very first time after enduring his second open-heart surgery.
Little Theodore ‘Teddy’ Nelson, of Buffalo, is only six months old, but has already had to deal with many obstacles. Among other health complications, Teddy was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, meaning he literally entered the world with half a heart.
Teddy has been in the care of staff at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh since his birth on August 30, with Valentine’s Day marking his 168th day in hospital.
Alexandria Nelson/FacebookOn February 6, Teddy finally gave his loving parents, Alexandria and Michael Nelson, a big beautiful smile.
Speaking with Good Morning America, Alexandria revealed they had feared a smile might not have been possible:
Around the second open heart surgery he suffered a stroke. We weren’t sure the connections were there in the brain to allow a smile to show on his face.
It really gave a huge glimmer of hope for the future that he’s able to overcome these obstacles. That’s what the smile meant to us.
Alexandria and Michael managed to capture the special moment on camera, with the footage having been viewed more than 325,000 times after it was shared by ABC affiliate WBMA.
Alexandria Nelson/FacebookAlexandria told Good Morning America:
They call him feisty and we love it. Half the time we don’t give him enough credit … he [has] so much determination and fight. I always say, ‘Theodore’s half a heart produces twice the love.
In the weeks to come, brave Teddy will have a third surgery, and his family are very much looking forward to finally bringing him home.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.