Parents Find Out Their Newborn Has Half a Heart, Refuse to Give Up and the Girl Is Now 5

When a New Mexico couple went to their sonographer, they instantly fell in love with the images of their little one's fingers and feet. Meanwhile, their doctor seemed worried after studying the prenatal ultrasound results.

Most couples are delighted upon discovering they will soon become parents. Every prenatal doctor's appointment makes them go through a plethora of emotions as they learn new things about their pregnancy and see their baby move on the sonographer's screen.

The couple in today's story had the same sentiments until their doctor told them something unexpected. Their baby girl was diagnosed with a rare condition, and the doctor gave them the option to terminate their pregnancy. Scroll down to find out what happened next.

The Ultrasound Scan

Gary and Kaitlin Lange were over the moon when they learned about their pregnancy in 2017. The couple owned a steakhouse in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and looked forward to welcoming their first baby.

Things took a turn for the worse when the couple visited their sonographer for their 20-week scan. Kaitlin felt the ultrasound device rub against the gel covering her belly as she looked at the screen. Gary recalled:

"We counted the fingers and toes and were so excited to see all of them."

The Fading Smile

The soon-to-be parents looked at each other with teary eyes before turning their faces towards the sonographer, whose smile had suddenly faded. Something about the ultrasound report bothered the sonographer.

Leaving their hometown meant Gary and Kaitlin had to shut down their business.

Gary and Kaitlin's world turned upside down when the doctor explained what was wrong with their prenatal scan results. The image of their baby's heart was not how it should have been, so the doctor ran another test before revealing the shocking truth.

The Rare Condition

After seeing the test results, the doctor diagnosed Gary and Kaitlin's baby girl with a rare condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which affects about 1 in 3,841 babies born in the United States.

The doctor discussed the effects of this condition on their baby girl and gave Gary and Kaitlin the option to terminate their pregnancy. Without thinking twice, the soon-to-be parents did what they thought was right. They chose to continue their pregnancy.

Since their baby was diagnosed with a rare condition, the hospital's surgical team suggested the couple relocate to Colorado to deliver their baby. Leaving their hometown meant Gary and Kaitlin had to shut down their business.

Moving Out

The couple made the tough decision to close their steakhouse by the end of June 2017 and moved to Colorado for the sake of their little one. They had no idea how long they would have to live in a new city with no source of income.

Gary and Kaitlin set up a fundraiser to help augment their finances during the toughest time of their lives. They regularly posted updates for their followers, hoping people would keep supporting them.

On September 11, 2017, at 11:56 p.m., Gary and Kaitlin welcomed their baby girl, Katherine Lange, into this world. Her birth brought untold joy even though it marked the beginning of unlimited tests and trials for the new parents.

The Little Warrior

When Katherine turned four days old, she underwent her first surgery. The little warrior fought for her life and was on oxygen support for some time before her second surgery at four months. Gary said:

"Katherine is the bravest little girl, taking everything like a champ."

It was heartbreaking for the new parents to see their daughter undergo multiple medical procedures, but they didn't give up. They moved cities to provide Katherine with the best medical treatment.

Some Improvement

Gary worked as an Uber driver, while Kaitlin stayed home to look after their little angel. Despite going through the worst, the couple stayed strong and did what the doctors told them. On April 27, 2019, Gary said:

"Katherine is now 19 months old and running around like crazy. Our last cardiologist visit was good."

Katherine's condition improved with each passing day, but she still wasn't out of danger. However, that didn't stop the little girl from enjoying her life. Gary and Kaitlin soon received good news after months of anxiety and stress.

Multiple Surgeries

On November 22, 2019, they welcomed their second baby, Thomas, into this world and shared that Katherine loved playing with him. However, things took a different turn a few months later when Katherine suddenly fell sick.

In May 2020, little Katherine underwent another surgical procedure while her parents prayed for her smooth recovery. Gary and Kaitlin supported their little girl in every way possible as they silently cried, watching their little girl in pain. Gary said:

"This journey so far has had its ups and downs, but I can assure you I would not trade it for the world."

Five Years Later

On September 11, 2022, Katherine turned five years old, but not a day went by when she didn't make her friends and family smile. She can now almost live like other kids her age but isn't entirely out of danger. Gary told FOX 13 News:

"She can have a heart attack at any time. She could have a stroke at any time."

"She's five years old. She's been through so much in life already," Gary said. He revealed that Katherine had developed Protein Losing Enteropathy, which means her liver is leaking Albumin. The doctors had told them if the medicines didn't work, Katherine would need both a liver and heart transplant.

The Kind Words

Gary and Kaitlin spent their time raising awareness about Katherine's condition. They also donated money to parents of children with heart defects.

When netizens learned about Katherine's rare heart condition and her parents' struggles, they shared messages of support and motivation. Here are some of the comments from FOX 13 News - Tampa Bay's Facebook post:

"What a precious beautiful little girl. I pray that the lord will always be with her and her parents."

― (@Roseann Ratkowski) September 20, 2022

"I have this. I am 44 years old. I don't know anyone older than me with HLHS, but there probably is. Godspeed."

― (@Niki Pummill) September 20, 2022

"May God bless you all. Thank you for choosing life for Katherine!"

― (@Todd Boese) September 20, 2022

Our prayers are also with Katherine as she fights to live her life. And if you want to help financially, here is her GoFundMe page. We hope God gives her family the strength to keep providing her with the best medical treatment available.

Click here to read a similar story about three children diagnosed with a rare eye condition that would make them go blind soon. Their parents took them on a world trip before it was too late.