God is Great: Miracle sent to 7-month-old boy just in time

Through tragedy miracles are born: The Seay family received a miraculous gift.

Seven-month-old Lincoln Seay was born with a heart defect that adversely affected the rest of his organs. As the child waited just outside death's door, God sent a life-changing miracle.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Romans 8:28 states: "We are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with this purpose, and turns everything to their good." 

In Lincoln's case, God provided a new heart.

God took the tragic loss of the anonymous donor and produced a second chance for little Lincoln.

Rob and Mindy Seay, Lincoln's parents, were told their son required a heart transplant and that it could take 90 days.

Lincoln was born with his heart on the right side of his chest, rather than the left. This medical anomaly led doctors at Portland's Legacy Emanuel Medical Center to perform an operation when the child was only 12-hours-old.

Following the surgery, Mindy and Rob returned to their Alaskan home with little Lincoln, where everything was fine for a short time.

Unfortunately, in October Lincoln's heart began to fail.

He was rushed to Portland, then Seattle Children's Hospital. Lincoln's case was so severe that his family was forced to stay in Seattle's Ronald McDonald House.

"He was right on the edge," Dr. D. Michael McMullan, Seattle Children's surgical director of heart transplantation, told The Seattle Times. "We have a list of patients and he was the one we were most concerned about."

"The last two days, you could just tell they were his last days," Rob said.

As Lincoln's health continued to deteriorate and his body began to turn purple from its lack of oxygen, the Sealy's got the call that would change everything.

"I immediately started shaking and crying while he told me all about the surgery, how it would go, when it would happen, what all the risks were, what after care [sic] might look like, etc., etc," Mindy wrote. "Honestly, I think he talked for 20-30 minutes but I heard absolutely nothing after WE GOT A HEART!!!"

The surgery went well and Dr. McMullan reported Lincoln's prognosis is good, though he will probably face certain challenges with the strong medications required to keep his body from rejecting the transplanted heart.

By law all donor information is kept private, so Mindy wrote an open letter to the donor family, who had to have lost a child of their own as an adult heart would not have been possible to use on tiny Lincoln.

The letter read, in part: "I am so very sorry that your child's journey ended so soon. I am so very sorry that you endured life's greatest grief. I am just, so very sorry. But I hope that in your sorrow you can take comfort in knowing that you gave life.

"You gave life to other children. You gave comfort to other families. Your sweet child can live on in the lives of others. That is the greatest gift anyone can ever give. And your child gave that to my beautiful boy. Your child gave that to me. To my family. 

"Your selfless act kept our family whole and spared me, a mother you've never met, the same grief you had to endure. If I ever get the opportunity to meet you, I know I will not be able to express the gratitude in my heart. I know that mere words cannot express the thanks I feel. There are no words that would qualify. But, as a mother, I can say that I will always love you and thank you.

"every moment of every day. And I can promise you that if I ever find myself in a similar situation as you, losing a child, I will do the same."

Dr. McMullan reported Lincoln to be recovering well and can keep the heart at least twenty years.

"I hope he plays football or does whatever he wants to do," McMullan shared. "He's supposed to live."

Of the Seay's $150,000 goal for medical bills, $16,329 has been donated. If you would like to offer a donation, please visit their page.

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