# Son born with heart defects survives 12-hour surgery

> Two-week-old Monroe survived 12-hour heart surgery after being born with four congenital defects.
- Title: Son born with heart defects survives 12-hour surgery
- Summary: Two-week-old Monroe survived 12-hour heart surgery after being born with four congenital defects. Monroe's 12-hour surgery saved his life, but many adults…
- Keywords: monroe, congenital heart defects, surgery, neonatologist, oschner health, seattle, nfl, news, local, Son, born, heart
- Source: Valleynewslive — https://valleynewslive.com/2026/09/18/their-son-was-born-with-multiple-heart-defects-12-hour-surgery-helped-save-his-life
- Published: 2026-09-18T12:10:00.098+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: monroe, congenital heart defects, surgery, neonatologist, oschner health, seattle, nfl, news, local
## First moments of crisis
Monroe was born with four heart defects. His oxygen levels dropped dangerously low after birth.

> We had a normal pregnancy with Monroe; we had two anatomy scans that did not show any birth defects.
## 12-hour emergency surgery
Doctors performed open-heart surgery in Charleston. The procedure lasted 12 hours to fix four defects.

> It was awful, and it felt like every parent’s worst nightmare.
## Life support and recovery
Monroe needed life support after surgery. He started beating on his own after three days.

> The relief of watching him fight back was huge.
## Three-year-old today
Monroe is now a strong three-year-old with ongoing therapy. Sam and Caitlin have a third child.

> Oh, I see God’s tender mercy on us, I know our story doesn’t look like others, but just his hand and his role in our life, and what that has done for us.
## Adults need long-term care
Many adults with congenital heart disease require ongoing medical follow-up. Defects can reappear later.

> It’s a little bit like taking your car in for an oil change.
## Key takeaway

Monroe's 12-hour surgery saved his life, but many adults with congenital heart disease still need ongoing care.