Lavine, Arizona (3TV/CBS 5) –Two hundred and forty-seven days. That’s how long baby Wyatt was at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and she had never experienced the world outside the hospital until recently. He was hospitalized a few weeks after his birth due to heart failure and was left as an 8-month-old baby to get his second chance at life.

His mother, MaryAnn Sommerfeld, said she learned during her pregnancy that her son had a rare congenital heart defect. Due to his unique syndrome, the right side of his heart did not fully form.

Shortly after birth, he suffered from heart failure and underwent surgery to receive a Berlin heart transplant. The device served as a temporary artificial heart while Wyatt waited for a heart transplant. After months of waiting, Wyatt received a new heart and was able to go home with his parents for the first time just 12 days after surgery.

“He can move around. He can go for walks, which was a big thing for us. He’s learning a world he didn’t know,” Sommerfeld said. “What Wyatt taught us is that he just has to live in the moment and enjoy the little little things.”

It’s been more than a month since Wyatt returned home, and Sommerfeldt said the family has adjusted to their new life and her son is thriving.

She said his diagnosis was initially a shock because there was no family history of heart disease, but his prognosis after the transplant was promising.

It has been an emotional journey, and Sommerfeld said she is grateful to the donor and the donor’s family. She hopes her son’s story will help spread her awareness about congenital heart defects and show others the life-saving power of organ donation.

There is a GoFundMe page to help Wyatt’s family. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and February is American Heart Month. Phoenix Children’s Hospital has more information about heart health resources for parents.

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