Baby Raven Celebrates 2nd Birthday

ALPHARETTA, GA -- A little girl battling a congenital defect who captured the hearts of a local church and the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation recently hit a milestone. Raven Nell Raines, known to many as Baby Raven, was released from the hospital just in time to celebrate her second birthday, which was Dec. 10.

You may remember Baby Raven as the child Alpharetta firefighters rallied around in 2016 when they made repairs to the home of her grandmother, Nell Estes. Raven and her parents, Mike and Ruthie, along with her older sister Piper, had to move back in with Estes due to the challenges and enormous medical expenses thrust upon the family by the baby's condition.

Repairs made by those public servants included replacing appliances, removing overgrown brush and weeds and other construction-related initiatives, the agency added.

Raven was born in December 2015 with a critical heart defect and, thanks to the generosity of the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation, Stonecreek Church and others in the community, Raven and her parents traveled to Boston Children’s Hospital in 2016 so she could undergo a nine-hour, bi-ventricle repair.

Raven spent most of the first 13 months of her life in the hospital, including undergoing three heart surgeries at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, all of which occurred before her first birthday. Raven was hospitalized recently with RSV, but was able to make it home before turning 2.

"Raven is fierce in facing each challenge and consistently demonstrates the joy of the Lord," her grandmother said.

However, that doesn't mean life will be a breeze for the family. Raven faces multiple medical issues each day, and will need additional heart procedures next year for an aortic valve stenosis. She also has a gastronomy tube to deliver food and medications and regularly undergoes respiratory therapy. She may also have to face another surgery due to her underdeveloped spine, a congenital condition called caudal regression syndrome.

"Raven is making good progress with several therapies," Estes added. "Although she can only speak a few syllables for now, Raven is consistently engaging with her smiles, movement to music, and imitating motions."

The community is still encouraged to follow Baby Raven's story on Facebook. Raven and her family continue to appreciate help with tax deductible gifts payable to Intentional Legacy (place Raven's name in the memo line for checks) and mail to: c/o Elizabeth Pease, 205 Nacoochee Dr, Woodstock 30188. Donations can also be made on the Heartbeats For Raven GoFundMe page.

Image via Nell Estes