'It's a miracle': Toddler's family finds power in prayer during heartbreaking diagnosis

The power of prayer is huge, and the parents of LeAnna Brown learned just how great prayer can be when their then 2-year-old daughter was given just two weeks to live by her doctors.

Prayer is always powerful.

Highlights

By Abigail James
9/22/2021 (3 years ago)

Published in Marriage & Family

Keywords: Miracle, Toddler, Heart condition, prayer

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - LeAnna Brown was born with a rare metabolic disorder that causes heart failure, called Mulitple acyl-CoA dehydrogenation deficiency (MADD). In July of last year, LeAnna's parents, Ashley Mitchell and Jason Brown, were told their 2-year-old wouldn't live to see her third birthday. 

"I really thought we were going to have to bury my baby," LeAnna's mother expressed to WWL-TV on July 1, 2020. "Basically the doctors were telling us if no other hospital picks her up, we will just make her comfortable."

There was very little research completed on LeAnna's condition, and the doctors weren't sure a heart transplant would work in her case. 

However, days after receiving the heart-shattering news, Children's Hospital Colorado answered LeAnna's family's prayers.

"They were the last hope," her father shared. "Everyone else turned us down."

According to Ashley Mitchell, the Colorado hospital was the only one willing to take a chance on LeAnna. The family immediately moved to Colorado and the team of doctors got to work. 

"They had genetics teams here, cardiology teams, transplant teams," explained Ashley, noting that LeAnna was added to the transplant list. 

A short time later, Ashley and Jason received the call that LeAnna's new heart was available. 

"We got the call six days ago. She got the heart five days ago," Jason stated. "Unbelievable. I literally could have jumped through the roof of my car. I still can't believe it. I still can't believe it."

LeAnna has since received her new heart and is recovering. Her doctors are hopeful she will now live a full and long life. 

"The power of prayer, the power of prayer. I don't think people understand that we have people all around the world praying, this is nothing short of a miracle," expressed LeAnna's father.

"It's just everything I asked God for happened, it's a miracle," her mother added, noting that LeAnna is now a happy three-year-old.