Franco’s Journey
written by: morgan (mother)
Franco’s story began in October 2024 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he made his grand entrance alongside his twin brother, Emilio.
Early in the pregnancy, we knew that Franco had a serious heart condition. After we learned about his heart, we faced a decision no parent should have to make. The doctors explained to us that if we were to proceed with the twin pregnancy, we could potentially be risking Emilio’s life. We were asked if we wanted to end Franco’s life due to his condition. After long discussions with the medical team, we decided to continue the pregnancy and allow Franco to pave his own path and guide us.
He was diagnosed with congenital heart disease; including a large VSD, aortic arch hypoplasia, severely hypoplastic aortic and mitral valves, and a dilated right coronary artery. His combination of heart defects doesn’t quite fit a textbook diagnosis, the closest name given is Shone’s complex variant. His condition is rare and essentially unprecedented.
At three days old, Franco had his first open-heart surgery. I can’t explain what it’s like to hand over your newborn to a surgical team and let them stop his heart before you’ve even had the chance to get to know him. Franco made it through and after a long CICU stay, we brought him home. It was the happiest kind of chaos. We had two newborns, a mountain of fear, and so much love. We thank God every day for giving us the gift of twins. Watching Franco and Emilio together has been healing. The bond they share is something we are grateful to witness.
A few weeks after coming home, Franco was rushed back to CHOP for another major surgery, a balloon valvuloplasty. The recovery was so much harder. Franco faced three scary complications: an incision site infection, a blood clot in his left leg, and complete heart block. We didn’t know if his heart would ever beat on its own again. He had temporary pacing wires, and doctors told us we might need a pacemaker. We prayed. And four days later, Franco’s heart started beating on its own. It was a moment of pure relief, one we’ll never forget.
Since then, Franco’s faced more surgeries, five now, and more moments where the odds felt stacked against him. His most recent surgery was in June 2025. He went into complete heart block again but this time, he came out of it on his own. It’s become something of a pattern with Franco: he stuns the doctors, makes us cry from relief, and reminds us that God’s strength shows up in the smallest, bravest bodies.
We don’t know when his next intervention will be, it could be in months or years. That uncertainty is tough. But every day with Franco is a blessing. He’s silly and strong and so happy. His giggles are contagious, his smile is constant, and after everything his body’s been through, he makes every room feel lighter. You’d never guess how much he’s faced just by looking at him, but if you sit with him for even a few minutes, you’ll feel the strength of his heart.
Outside of his heart, Franco has overcome airway issues, severe feeding difficulties, and dramatic weight loss. At one point, he dropped to just over 4 pounds, and we were preparing for going home with an NG tube. But again, he pushed through. He worked so hard, and by three months old, he was up to 8 pounds, 5 ounces. I cried when he hit that number. I still do.
Franco is our miracle. Not because everything’s gone smoothly (it hasn’t), but because he keeps going. We thank God constantly for the strength he has poured into our son and for surrounding us with doctors, nurses, family, and faith to get through the hard days. Franco’s journey is not over yet. He has more surgeries ahead, and we trust that the same strength that’s carried him this far will keep carrying him forward.
He is our heart warrior. Our sunshine. The reason we believe in miracles every single day.
