As Jaxon’s parents, there are moments where we look at him and have a hard time believing everything our baby boy has already been through.
Jaxon’s congenital heart defect was detected during his 20-week anatomy scan. From that moment, our world changed. What followed was an emotional roller coaster of appointments, uncertainty, misdiagnoses, fear, and more questions than answers. As parents, there is nothing more terrifying than knowing something is wrong with your child and not knowing exactly what it is or what the future holds.
Eventually, his doctors were able to determine what was happening and how they could fix it.
Just 3 days after Jaxon was born, our baby underwent open-heart surgery.
Three days old.
We will never forget the feeling of handing our newborn son over to a surgical team and having to trust that they would bring him back to us. Those hours were some of the hardest we have ever experienced.
But Jaxon persevered.
He made an incredible recovery, and just 5 days after his surgery, we were able to take our baby home.
We thought we had made it through the hardest part.
Then, after months of continuous monitoring, a CT scan revealed that Jaxon would need another heart surgery. This time, he was 6 months old.
Once again, we watched out baby boy go through something no child should ever have to endure.
And once again, Jaxon persevered.
Four days after his second surgery, we brought him home.
When we look at Jaxon today, we don’t just see our baby. We see a fighter. We see a warrior. We see a little boy who has already faced challenges that some people never experience in an entire lifetime.
And somehow, despite all of it, he still smiles.
He still laughs.
He still finds a way to make his presence known.
That smile and that laugh are two of the greatest gifts he has given us throughout this journey.
His journey isn’t over, because of his CHD, Jaxon will require lifelong monitoring, and there will always be a part of us that wonders what the future may hold.
But we’ve learned that you don’t have to know what tomorrow holds to fight for today.
Jaxon is here with us.
He is loved.
He is happy.
He is strong.
And he is our warrior.
That’s why we created Jaxon’s Corner and joined The Children’s Heart Foundation Walk.
Because while Jaxon may be the warrior, every warrior needs a corner.
A place filled with people who believe in him. People who will cheer for him. People who will stand beside him. People who will help fight for him and for every other child born with a congenital heart defect.
Our goal is to raise $1,000 to support The Children’s Heart Foundation and the research that can help give Heart Warriors better treatments, better outcomes, and hopefully, one day, a future where fewer families have to experience the fear and uncertainty that we have known.
So we’re asking our family, our friends, and everyone who has been touched by Jaxon’s story:
Join us. Walk with us. Donate if you can. Share his story.
Every step matters.
Every dollar matters.
Every bit of support matters.
Most importantly, come help us celebrate this incredible little boy who has already shown us what it truly means to be a warrior.
This is Jaxon’s Corner.
And if Jaxon has taught us anything, it’s that warriors don’t fight alone. ❤️