Carly, Berkeley Girl With Heart Defect, Enters Hospice Care

BERKELEY, N.J. — Carly Fetzer brought boundless positivity to her community as she fought her congenital heart defect. Due to increasing health battles since January, Carly's mother made a heartbreaking announcement: she will sign consent forms Monday for Carly to begin hospice care.

Carly was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Her smile can light up a room, and she loved to give hugs. The community has rallied behind her. Berkeley Township declared earlier this year that Feb. 12 would be "Carly Day."

Carly had a nine-day hospital stay in January because of issues with her wisdom teeth and kidneys. Her kidneys and diuretics can no longer keep up with all the fluid.

"It’s killing me to tell you all," said Carly's mother, Claudine Fetzer, who runs the Believe 4 Carly Facebook page. "Our world is shattered and not one I want to live in. Our hearts are completely broken. We always knew Carly would never live a long life but you are NEVER prepared."

Carly simply hasn't been the same since January, according to Claudine. The Carly who loved life "is no longer," she said.

"Carly is agitated very easily now...she rarely smiles...this pic (see below) was recently taken but it’s only the 2nd time since January that we have seen a smile," Claudine posted.

The heartbreaking news has triggered an outpouring of support from the community, with over 600 comments on the Believe 4 Carly Facebook post.

"The strength and selflessness you all have shown over the years is simply astonishing," wrote Jim Dickhaus. "Reading this post is possibly the hardest and saddest post I've ever read. Our hearts pour out to the family. Prayers to Carly and the family."

"I can only imagine how hard to even write these words.....I pray that hospice wraps its loving and comforting arms around you, and brings comfort to your whole family, with of course the emphasis on Carly," wrote Diana Dozois. "We are now not a village...but a town, a city, praying and thinking of Carly every single day."

"Please keep Carly and her family in your thoughts and prayers," Berkeley Mayor Carmen Amato wrote. "She is an amazing young lady and needs all of our love right now. Prayers for Carly."

Carly was always going to go down in Berkeley history, but the first "Carly Day" made it official. Central Regional students and staff even came out in full force, wearing red to raise money and food vouchers for cardiac families at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

"Please keep all of us in your prayers to help us get through this part of this very difficult journey,"Claudine wrote. "It is very hard to stay strong at this point."

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