Couple's 2nd Baby With New Heart Doing Well: 'He's An Incredible Kid'

WADING RIVER, NY — Four days after a life-saving heart transplant, a Wading River baby is doing well and "living for two," after an organ donor gave him his second chance at life, his parents said.

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.

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.

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

On Tuesday, Brian Cotter spoke with Patch. "Buddy is doing very well. He’s been eating, which is really good. He’s still a little out of it. He’s processing everything. New room, new nurses. He doesn’t seem to be in much discomfort but he is relaxing and mostly staying still. He’s an incredible kid. I’m so proud of him."

And, while he's still in a bit of a fog, his father said, Buddy is "better every day, for sure."

His parents wrote on Facebook, to update the many sending prayers and love to their beautiful boy: "Hello, world. I’m awake. Loving my new heart. From now on I’m living for two."

The good news came on their first baby Ruby's third birthday.

The news that Buddy also needed a new heart was devastating: "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."

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.

"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."