Lucas was diagnosed with congenital heart defects (CHDs) at 20 weeks of gestation. Early on, it looked like he had HLHS, but after he was born, doctors discovered he had small left-sided heart structures, ASDs, VSDs, and coarctation of the aorta. At just 8 days old, he had his first open-heart surgery. Not long after, he was also diagnosed with Baraitser-Winter syndrome, a rare genetic condition with only about 50 known cases at the time.

Lucas faced a tough start. He had trouble breathing and growing, and at 6 weeks old, he had a tracheotomy and gastrostomy surgery. While we waited for him to get strong enough to come home on a ventilator, he battled several infections and setbacks. Before he was finally discharged, after spending 295 days in the ICU, he was also diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension.

Doctors told us Lucas might never walk or talk and wouldn’t have much quality of life. But we believed that, with the support of an incredible team and the grace of God, he could defy those expectations.

Today, Lucas has been through more than 25 surgeries, procedures, catheterizations, and interventions, and somehow, he still finds a way to smile through it all.

Please consider supporting Team Super Lucas as we walk for heart heroes like him, kids who fight through the toughest challenges every single day.