I spent a lot of time at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with my older daughter when she was little. Doctor consultations ahead of surgical procedures and the yearly checkups made for a day’s adventure. And for my daughter, an immersion into a world with kids of every race and nationality, all there to find some support for myriad conditions. I loved watching the kids become fast friends - watching the videos on the television, sharing coloring supplies or, as she aged, my daughter holding court and reading to the younger kids. It was a community of folks, all anxious about what that day’s news would be, but finding a moment of peace in the laughter of the little ones.
So, on some small level, I feel the connection to the family of former NFL tight end and new FOX Sports NFL analyst Greg Olsen. His son TJ was born with a condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The short of it is that the left side of the heart does not form correctly.
(You can Learn More About Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome here.)
According to Olsen, eight-year old TJ had undergone three open heart surgeries and lived with a modified heart. This past week, TJ received a heart transplant. The journey, and his family’s wave of emotions, was chronicled in short form for People Magazine. And, this sweet video post-surgery that brings you back to basics:
I can’t wait to see the updates on TJ’s story. Tales of hope and positivity speak to our humanity and bond us all. I speak of the power of that communal energy found in concerts and sports and theater, and energy akin to that felt in prayer services. And like those moments in the waiting room at Children’s.
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