Riley’s miracle: three open-heart surgeries by age 9

BORN prematurely at 36 weeks, Riley entered the world facing incredible challenges with his heart. Within three hours of birth, his tiny hands and feet turned blue, leading doctors to diagnose him with congenital heart disease (CHD), a complex condition affecting his heart’s structure.

- TRACY-LYNN RUITERS

From the start, Riley showed remarkable strength. After being closely monitored in the neonatal ICU, he was transferred to Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, where doctors diagnosed multiple serious heart defects including Double Outlet Right Ventricle, Pulmonary Atresia, Ventricular Septal Defect, and a duct-dependent circulation on the Tetralogy spectrum.