01 January 2024 , 17:11
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A 4-year-old boy's difficult road to receiving a heart transplant reached a harrowing conclusion as he tragically passed away just a single day after undergoing his operation.
Karter, a happy child who exuded a beaming smile even in the darkest of times, arrived into the world under challenging circumstances. Born a micro preemie, he was facing enormous odds, needing a new heart, right from the start of his life. But despite the difficult situation, his adoring mother, Jimenez, never lost faith that her boy would receive the transplant he needed.
The loving parent, from Saginaw, Michigan, is devastated to have lost her 'sweet and happy child', recently reminiscing over the lovely times they shared, watching movies and listening to music.
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Karter died the day after his surgery (WNEM)In an interview with WNEM, she said: “It’s like a hole, and I don’t know if it’ll ever be filled. ‘Princess and the Frog,’ Mama Odie, ‘Dig a Little Deeper.’ As soon as he’d hear the little drums, I mean, you would get the biggest smile from him."
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Sadly, due to having multiple illnesses, in August, Karter was denied a place on the transplant list. However, Jimenez and the rest of the family maintained their faith, praying to God for his fortunes to change. And thankfully, they did, with the youngster being placed at the top of the list just one month later.
His mother explained: “The words cannot… there are no words to describe having a possibility, having hope, my son thriving. I had been praying for so long. He had said the words that I had been looking for and just waiting to hear: ‘Karter has a match.’ I thought I was dreaming."
Jimenez loved her son (WNEM)In late November, Karter joyfully celebrated his fourth birthday in style, with a Mario-themed party in his hospital room in the company of his close family and the hospital staff who'd been looking after him. Shortly after, in the build-up to Christmas, Karter received a donor heart and went into surgery. Alas, the procedure didn't go as planned, as the boy started suffering serious complications.
In a bid to reassure her son, his mother told him: "Mama's here. I'm always here." But sadly, this was: "The last time I actually saw my son being my son."
Karter had a beaming smile (WNEM)Karter's condition continued to worsen, with Jimenez left with the hardest decision of her life — turning off his life support to end his pain and suffering. And while she's understandably devastated, she's extremely grateful for the time she had with her boy.
She said: “Four years I got to be blessed with him. I'm thankful because he was sent to me for a reason.”
Unfortunately, due to his multiple diagnosed illnesses, Karter never qualified for life insurance, which has left Jimenez in a financially difficult position. Consequently, her family have started a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs. You can donate here.