On October 10th, our family will be walking in the Charleston Heart Walk for our son, Callan.
Callan was born on August 4, 2026, with a complex congenital heart defect (CHD) called HLHS (hypoplastic left heart syndrome). Before he was even born, we learned that his heart would require 3 major life saving open heart surgeries and that his journey would be very different from what we had imagined.
At just 6 days old, Callan underwent his first open-heart surgery, the Norwood procedure. Since then, he has spent his entire life in the hospital, fighting through complications, procedures, infections, seizures, and more challenges than any baby should ever have to face.
But Callan keeps fighting.
And so do we.
Charleston has become more than a place to us. It is where some of the most important people in our son’s life are fighting alongside him. It is where we have witnessed incredible medical care, answered prayers, setbacks, miracles, and our little boy showing us just how strong he is.
I’m walking because 1 in every 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect, making CHD the most common birth defect — yet there is still so much that people don’t know about it.
I’m walking for Callan.
For the babies who are born fighting.
For the parents who suddenly find themselves living in a hospital.
For the families who sit beside an ICU bed and pray for one more good day.
For the children who grow up with scars that tell a story of survival.
And for the families who have lost their babies to CHD.
Most importantly, I’m walking to help raise awareness and support research so that someday, families facing a CHD diagnosis will have even more hope, more treatment options, and better outcomes.
If you’re able, please consider donating to my Heart Walk team. Every dollar helps support the fight against heart disease and congenital heart defects.
And if you can’t donate, sharing Callan’s story is just as meaningful. ❤️
Thank you for loving our boy, praying for him, supporting our family, and helping us give a voice to the millions of people whose lives have been touched by congenital heart defects.
We walk for Callan. We walk for CHD. We walk for hope.