It must be a miracle that a 4-day-old newborn with only half a heart survived a 9-hour surgery. He is truly a warrior.

Lee and Michelle Aslin, the parents of this 4-day-old “warrior,” waited six years to have their child. Their joy was short-lived when, at 20 weeks of pregnancy, their “warrior” was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). Despite this, the couple were determined to have their son, who was born on September 1st weighing 4.4 kg.

This “warrior” is Reggie Aslin. He suffers from Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare congenital defect where the left ventricle is abnormally developed and atrophied, and the aorta is inefficient at pumping blood. This means his heart cannot perform its function of pumping blood to nourish his body effectively. According to Great Ormond Street Hospital and the British Heart Foundation, most babies with this syndrome appear healthy at birth but will later struggle to breathe without treatment.

Doctors said Reggie’s survival rate was only 50% and he needed three major surgeries. At just four days old, Reggie underwent three open surgeries lasting nine hours. The surgeries left a large scar on Reggie’s chest. And contrary to what the doctors expected, “warrior” Reggie recovered incredibly quickly. While other cases take three to four months to recover and be discharged, he only needed six weeks to be discharged. Needless to say, the medical team and Reggie’s parents were extremely surprised. However, doctors also predicted that he was unlikely to live past adolescence.

Following the doctors’ “prophecy,” Reggie’s mother emotionally shared: “He is a strong little warrior. Whether it’s two months, a year, or ten years, being with him is enough to make me happy. Our family will bring him happiness and beautiful memories. We are so happy to celebrate Christmas at home with him.” Before Reggie, the Lee couple already had a daughter named Katelyn, who is now 13 years old.

Even so, Reggie’s parents are very hopeful that future advancements in medicine will give their son a longer chance of survival. So this Christmas, Reggie’s small family will still be filled with laughter as they welcome a new member.