Caitlin and Sam Reese went through pregnancy with every reason to expect a routine delivery. Two anatomy scans came back normal. Then Monroe was born with critically low oxygen, and a neonatologist gave them the kind of news no parent prepares for: the team was working to keep their son alive. Doctors found four congenital heart defects, and Monroe was air-lifted from Greenville to Charleston for open-heart surgery at just two weeks old. The operation ran twelve hours. He needed life support afterward, and three days later, his heart began beating on its own. After 42 days in the hospital, he went home.
Monroe is now a healthy three-year-old, and his family credits therapy and consistent follow-up care for his recovery. His story is a reminder that congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect in the United States, affecting about one in 100 babies, and that anatomy scans cannot always catch them. Pediatric cardiologist Dr. Sam Lucas says the condition is often hereditary, and adults with repaired defects still need ongoing cardiac monitoring. His comparison is simple: it’s like taking your car in for an oil change even when it’s driving fine, because skipping it eventually costs you.
For families on the Suncoast and everywhere else, the takeaway is practical. Know your family’s heart history, keep every follow-up appointment, and speak up if something feels off, no matter what a scan says. Monroe got his happy ending thanks to fast action and long-term care.
Do you know your family’s heart history, or is it time to ask?
