We are so honored and excited to introduce you to our February featured child of 2016, little Hudson Taylor Alexander Sylvestre. Check out those cheeks!

 

Hudson is an incredibly precious and strong baby boy, who was born six weeks premature on July 17, 2015 with a condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, meaning he only has half a heart. With just two days’ notice, Hudson's family had to leave their home, jobs, church and family in North Carolina to relocate to Philadelphia to save their precious son’s life. In addition to his congenital heart defect, Hudson has also experienced several other life threatening conditions that required intervention even while he was still in the womb.

 

While in the delivery room the doctors offered for the hospital chaplain to come and quickly baptize little Hudson and a photographer to get pictures in case his family weren’t able to see him alive. To everyone’s surprise Hudson was born breathing on his own after going into cardiac arrest and then being on life support. Hudson has undergone open heart surgery and liver surgery as well as suffering through a life threatening infection in his stomach two different times. He has also had to battle several other issues including fluid building up in his lungs due to a lymphatic problem.

 

Hudson's family is amazed at their sons strength. Hudson is an incredible fighter and is now six months old and in the cardiac intensive care unit at the Children Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He will remain under CHOP’s care until he is big enough for his second open heart surgery which means we will be away from home for at least several more months.

 

Mom Amy and Dad Corey want everyone to know how deeply thankful they are for the expert care that their son is receiving. Mom recently expressed her gratitude on her blog. "There are not sufficient words to express our gratitude to God, to the many family members, friends, churches and even strangers who have cared for us during such a painful time. Strangers have welcomed us into their homes, loaned us cars, donated food and funds. We love our sweet Hudson so much and we would have already been devastated without the support of others. We ask you to join us in prayer for Hudson’s life and health. Thankfully he is stable now and is such a cutie. I’ve often said that if tears healed babies, our son would be whole." 

~ Corey, Amy & Big brother Graham

Let’s rally around this amazing family and lovenly show our support for Hudson throughout the month of February (and beyond!) while he continues to his journey and prepares for a second heart surgery. Pray for God’s blessing for full and complete healing over Hudson's body.

The family has set up a page for donations, please consider donating to the family's Go Fund Me page to help with the costs of relocating their family with no notice from, North Carolina to Philadelphia and to offset medical expenses.  Their personal finances have increased significantly as well as the out of pocket medical expenses will be close to $30,000 for this year and next year.

 

If you would like, here are ways to help Hudson’s family: (Please click on the buttons above to follow links to the familys Facebook and Donation Pages).

 

Donate on the family's Go Fund Me site (gofundme.com/havehalfaheart)

Donate Delta Skymiles (For details, message Hudson’s Mom on facebook.com/hudsonsheart)

 

Gift cards to Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, Bed Bath and Beyond or for gas.

Have dinner or groceries delivered through seamless web or another site (For details, message Hudson’s Mom facebook.com/hudsonsheart)

 

 

 

Website amyalexandersylvestre.blogspot.com

 

GoFundMe page: gofundme.com/havehalfaheart

Facebook page: facebook.com/hudsonsheart

Hudson’s family is thankful for your partnership in prayer as they go down such a difficult journey. Thank you for praying for Hudson and the whole family.