2nd Miracle For LI Family — 2nd Baby Receives New Heart: 'So Grateful'

WADING RIVER, NY — In a world where miracles seem far away and fleeting, a Wading River couple has just received their second, a miracle beyond words: A donor heart was found for their second child, just a year old.

In December, Brian and Ashley Cotter faced the unthinkable: Two years after their first baby, Ruby June, received a miracle heart transplant for Christmas, they were told that their second child, Everett — affectionately called Buddy — who celebrated his first birthday on Dec. 30, also needed a new heart.

The news was devastating: "Never in a million years did we think our happy, healthy boy would be where his sister was almost two years ago. He has an enlarged heart — cardiomyopathy — same as Ruby had," Cotter said. "We are broken. There are no words to describe this feeling — our sweet boy."

In the months since, Buddy has remained hospitalized at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. His parents decided on a new ventricular assist device, or VAD; a VAD is an implantable mechanical pump used to help those with heart failure or other issues.

The days and nights of waiting were long and filled with fear and uncertainty, but hope remained ever-present.

And on Friday, the Cotters got the news that their baby boy would have his second chance, Brian Cotter said.

"This morning Buddy’s entire team came in the room to tell us that they accepted a donor heart," he wrote on Facebook. "Although this is what we have been waiting for ,it is also such bittersweet news. It is going to be a long hard night for our little man. A night that changes his life forever. Our deepest sympathies to our donor’s family and our never ending gratefulness for our son’s second chance."

He added: "It has been a long six six months of waiting. It has been emotionally draining. It has been lonely and sad. But it has also been amazing to see our son overcome everything thrown at him. It has been amazing to see him grow and learn. To see him smile through it all."

At 7 p.m. Friday night, Cotter said, Everett was brought down to the operating room.

"We gave him all the hugs and kisses we could," he said. "He rolled away from us with a smile on his face. There are no words to describe the feeling of walking away from your baby as he gets rolled into an operating room for an intense 8-to-10 hour surgery full of risks. But we are thankful. We are blessed. He is loved."

Saturday morning, Cotter wrote that Buddy had received his new heart.

"It was a very long night, but Bud was officially transplanted sometime early this morning on June 11. His new heart is functioning well; he’s off bypass with no bleeding and they were able to close his chest. The surgeon and doctor said it was the best possible result we could’ve hoped for."

His parents, allowed into his room Saturday, said he looked "really great," but his medications were being adjusted as he seemed uncomfortable.

"The next few days will be a lot of monitoring and healing but we are optimistic. We are so grateful for our donor family for thinking of someone else during their worst time imaginable," Cotter said. "We love you from the bottom of our hearts that our boy gets to see another day."

Speaking with Patch, Cotter said he and his wife were overwhelmed with emotion.

"He will have a long recovery ahead of him but he is going into this strong and happy. Thank you to everyone for the love and support," Cotter said. "Thank you to all his nurses who worked tirelessly to make his life the best it could be. Thank you to the doctors and the entire team for keeping him with us — and getting him to his second chance."