Skip to content

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

WATCH NOW Baby's heart beats outside body (WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT)

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes
'I can't wait to see what God has in store for Mr. Henry Charles.'

Henry Charles Dolan was born 12-weeks premature with two congenital heart defects. His miraculous journey has been captured from the beginning by his parents Mollie and Sam Dolan.

Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Highlights

By Kenya Sinclair (CALIFORNIA NETWORK)
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
10/17/2016 (7 years ago)

Published in Marriage & Family

Keywords: Baby, heart, beat, transplant

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to the Hope for Henry Facebook page, Henry weighed only 2-pounds-11-ounces and was 15-inches-long.

Little Henry was born with truncus arteriosus, a rare heart disease in which a single blood vessel takes the place of two, causing potentially deadly complications.


The child was also diagnosed with mitral artesia, another rare defect, where the mitral valve, which connects two chambers to the left of the heart, becomes blocked and stops blood flow.

Doctors spoke to the Dolans and the group decided to attempt surgery - but kept the possibility of a heart transplant in the forefront.

He was placed on the list for a donor heart and the Donals flew to Missouri for the first of what they were told would be three open-heart surgeries.

Unfortunately, the initial surgery kept getting postponed due to Henry's roller coaster health. His parents posted constant updates and requests for prayer.

When Henry was finally taken into his first surgery, the Dolans were able to watch with help from an EASE app.

Henry's heart was stopped and he was placed on a machine during the surgery but when doctors attempted to restart his heart, Henry didn't have a pulse.

Doctors were forced to conduct open-heart compressions for five minutes as the tiny boy was placed back on the bypass machine.

"Father God, please hear our crys [sic]," the Dolans wrote, adding Psalm 112:2 and Psalm 56:3: "He is not afraid of bad news his heart is firm trusting in the Lord...When I am afraid I will trust in you."

God heard their prayers and Henry stabilized. Doctors slowly weaned him from the machine over a period of a few days and was stable.

Henry's heart worked well for a few days but his heart rate "got out of rhythm, which in return [sic] caused issues with his heart rate and BP."


The next day he still had an irregular heart beat and as time passed, it became steadily worse. Less than two weeks later, doctors suddenly filled the hospital room when Henry's heart rate made a drastic change.

The child was placed on full ventilator support and several medications to stabilize his heart rate and blood pressure, which reached the 200-300s.

25;;08 *1 5()?1

To make matters worse, Henry got a blood clot in his right atria and the medication to counter it interfered with several other medications. Doctors finally had to admit the only way Henry would survive was with a heart transplant.

The Dolans could only pray and wait for a new heart as their son's vitals continued to stagger.

According to UCSF Health, people often wait longer than six months for a viable organ.

Little Henry only had to wait sixteen days.

"Not even sure how to type this out, BUT...after 16 days listed and 5 months hospitalized WE GOT A HEART!" The Dolans posted. "Oh my goodness! I have no words. Please be praying for us and the donor family as we know they are going through unimaginable grief.

"How amazing that they have chosen to give a life! Wow! You better believe I will let you all be part of the journey. Stay tuned my dear prayer warriors. We love you!"

The doctors allowed the family to record the surgery, with help from the app, and an amazing thing happened.

God was with the Dolans and their son through every phase of the pregnancy and hospital stays afterward. He certainly made himself known in the operating room during the transplant as well.

In the video below, the Dolans witnessed how strong Henry's heart really was as it was recorded still beating in the hospital dish.


The surgery was successful and for the first time, the Dolans were able to hear their son's strong, healthy heartbeat.

"I'm in awe of what has happened today," the Dolans wrote. "It almost feels like a dream. What I've witnessed today, is nothing short of a miracle.

"A miracle given to us, by a family who is enduring tremendous heartache and pain. What incredible strength they must possess. Please continue to lift this family up in prayer."

They included images of Henry's mother listening to his heartbeat and they wrote: "No more swooshing! Just nice LOUD thumping. AMAZING. I can't wait to see what God has in store for Mr. Henry Charles."

Henry is currently doing well and the family has expressed their appreciation to God and to all the people praying with them every step of the way.

Due to Henry's difficult journey, a fundraiser was started at GoFundMe, where $15,157 of the $20k goal has been met.

Please keep Henry, his family and his donor's family in prayer. Pray for peace, acceptance, healing and grace for all involved.

---


'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'


Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.