Baby Who Needs Heart Reunites With Sister For 1st Time In Months

WADING RIVER, NY — It was the sweetest of reunions recently as a Wading River couple, whose first baby, Ruby June, received a miracle heart transplant for Christmas two years ago, and whose second child Everett, is also waiting for his life-saving new heart, were able to all be together in the same room for the first time in four months.

Being together as a complete family was deeply moving, said Brian Cotter, who, along with his wife Ashley, was able to spend time together with Ruby and the baby, now 1, whose nickname is Buddy.

It was the first time Ruby has seen her baby brother in all that time, he said.

"It's hard to describe all the emotions," he said.

Ruby still isn’t officially allowed to visit the hospital, but she had an appointment of her own so he and Ashley brought her an hour early and were able to arrange a playroom that isn’t used because of COVID-19, Cotter said.

The moments the siblings spent together were priceless and warmed hearts, he said.

.

"We make sure to FaceTime a lot so they are still used to seeing each other, which definitely helped," he said. "But I was so surprised to see that neither of them reacted like anything was different. Everett followed Ruby around like he used to at home — only now he’s walking instead of crawling. She was very sweet to him. She hugged and kissed him. They played together and shared the space like they used to. It was amazing to see that it wasn’t awkward for them. For the hour that we had it was very nice."

And yet, as parents, the moment was also filled with conflicting emotions, Cotter said.

"Unfortunately, for my wife and I, it was hard. It was a reminder out how outside reality we are living. How long it’s been since we have all been together. A reminder of how the way we live has become normal. It was very hard to leave each other knowing it could another three months before we are together, or maybe that could have been the last time we are all together," he said.

Cotter added: "Bittersweet is an understatement. We just want to get through this without adding anymore unnecessary trauma to the kids. We try our best to make sure they are as happy as possible. Even if it is draining the life out of my wife and I. We just love them so much it hurts — a feeling any parents can relate to."

Buddy, meanwhile, has adapted to his new reality in the hospital. "He’s very happy. He’s doing well while he waits. There are days when you can see he’s bored and frustrated but most days are very busy," Cotter said.

And the experience has imbued Ruby with a maturity beyond her 2 years. "Ruby is starting to understand the situation. She’s always been great at adapting and she’s been very sweet to me and her mom," Cotter said.

In December, Cotter shared the unthinkable news, that their second child needed a transplant, on Facebook: "Earlier today after a visit to the Stony Brook emergency room, Ruby's little brother Everett (Buddy) was admitted to Columbia's cardiac pediatric intensive care unit. One room over from where Ruby lived when she was sick," he said.

"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."

Everett, he said, was intubated and sedated.

In the following days, he updated a caring community who has been praying for a second miracle:

"We are broken. We did all of the tests, the scans, the checks with nothing to show. He was thriving, happy, strong. But here we are again. There are no words to describe this feeling — our sweet boy."

The couple's first baby, Ruby June, had a life-saving heart transplant on Dec. 22, 2019 — and Ruby has touched countless lives with her story of hope.

On June 12, 2019, Ashley and Brian welcomed their daughter into the world.

"The joy they experienced was unknown before that very moment. However, on September 4, 2019, less than three months later, their joy was replaced with fear, horror, and uncertainty. Ruby appeared lethargic and her body temperature was low," a GoFundMe page at the time said.

Upon calling the pediatrician, her terrified parents were told to bring Ruby directly to the emergency room at Stony Brook University Hospital. "By the time they arrived, she was blue," the page said. "Once she was stabilized, she was transported to New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. After days of testing, she was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy."

As Ruby turned a year old, her parents spoke about their greatest gift. And now, they are facing their worst fears, for a second time.

Cotter added that he could not believe he was even typing the words about his son's battle. "Please pray for our Buddy," he said. "This can't be the end of his story."