Baby In His Last days Receives Life Saving Heart Transplant

Lincoln Seay was born with a rare and severe heart defect called Heterodoxy Syndrome, that caused all his organs to develop on the opposite side of his body.

The 7-month-old boy from Alaska was days away from death when his family received a call that a desperately needed heart transplant had arrived. His family had been waiting with baited breath since November 2015.

Dr. D. Michael McMullan, Seattle Children’s surgical director of heart transplantation said,”He was right on the edge. We have a list of patients and he was the one we were most concerned about.”

Late February 2016, they got the call that a new heart had arrived just in time.

“The last two days, you could just tell they were his last days,” said Lincoln’s father Rob.

In the most recent post on the family’s fundraising page, Mindy recalls receiving the call.

“I immediately started shaking and crying while he told me all about the surgery, how it would go, when it would happen, what all the risks were, what after care might look like, etc., etc,” she wrote. “Honestly, I think he talked for 20-30 minutes but I heard absolutely nothing after WE GOT A HEART!!!”

Due to privacy laws, the Seay’s know nothing about the donor. Mindy has repeatedly expressed her gratitude towards the anonymous donor family, having posted an open letter on Facebook addressed to the mother of the donor child.

I want you to know there are no words to express the gratitude I feel for the mother you were able to be in those final moments, and that you were willing and able to give so selflessly to another. I want you to know that I will always have the utmost respect for the gift we will be given. I will treasure that heart more than I’ve ever treasured any gift. I will care for that gift to the very best of my ability and will be sure we always give reverence and respect to the child and family from which it came. We may never now you by name, but I will know you deep in my soul.

You and I may never meet, may never speak, may never cross paths, but we will be connected on a divine, spiritual level. Your child and mine will be forever entertwined as the heart that grew in your womb now pumps the blood through the body of the child created in mine. They have merged in a way, and your child will forever live on in mine. When my child bleeds, I will think of you. When I bandage his scraped knee, I will think of you. When I hear his heart beat, I will remember you. When his eyes flutter closed as he falls asleep, I will remember your beautiful child. I will say prayers of gratitude and blessings over your family, often. I will treasure the gift you’ve given. I promise.

Rob and Mindy first learned something was wrong when during the 19 week anatomy scan, it showed the baby had abnormalities with it’s organs.

The family says they hope their story will help bring awareness to the importance of organ donation.

Mindy says that the days since Lincoln received his new heart have been a blur.

“Lincoln has done SO well and his heart is so strong,” she wrote. “As of right now, all his chest tubes have been removed and he has finally been able to be extubated! They are beginning to slowly wean his sedation meds and he is waking up so charged up and energized! My baby is coming back.”

Incredible photos show what a remarkable difference the surgery made for Lincoln almost immediately. In the first image below, the day before the transplant, Lincoln’s skin color was bluish-purple from lack of oxygen. After the operation, he was back to a healthy tone.