Sadie Rutenberg, three, was born with a critical heart condition on November 11 in Seattle, Washington.

After two unsuccessful surgeries, doctors told the infant’s parents, Lee’or and Wendy, that her only remaining option was a tiny heart valve that had never before been used in a child and had not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Nearly three years after her parents anxiously waited for baby Sadie to come out of surgery, the energetic toddler is thriving thanks to the smallest heart valve in the world.

“If you looked at Sadie, you would never believe everything she’s been through,” Lee’or told People.

“You look at her and you’d have no idea. She’s this vibrant, playful, energetic little girl. She has more energy than I do.”

Sadie was born with a complete atrioventricular canal defect (CAVC), a rare congenital heart condition affecting two out of every 10,000 babies in the US each year.

With CAVC, a large opening in the center of the heart allows oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood to mix, reducing the amount of oxygen delivered throughout the body.

“Every single day during that first year of her life, I’d wake up wondering if that was going to be the day we’d receive heartbreaking news. That feeling never really goes away,” Lee’or said.

“There were no guarantees. No one told us she was definitely going to be okay. In fact, the doctors were very honest that the outcome remained uncertain.”

Sadie was just six months old when, after two unsuccessful attempts, she underwent her third open-heart surgery to correct the condition.

“Her surgeon came to us with the idea of using this heart valve, but explained that it wasn’t FDA approved yet and that we could take part in the clinical trial to help bring it forward,” Lee’or said.

“She was going to be the first child in this trial to receive it. That was both exciting and overwhelming because it could make all the difference for our daughter’s future. I still get shivers talking about it.”

The Abbott Masters 15 mm heart valve is the smallest of its kind in the world, designed specifically for babies and infants, and it was officially approved in March of this year.

Lee’or said that when Sadie went into surgery, the parents were worried the valve might not fit.

“There are a few moments where you can hardly breathe because you don’t know what’s coming next. Then Dr. Chen tells you everything worked, and you finally let out the biggest sigh of relief,” he said.

“You start thinking about all the things you once feared your daughter might never get to experience, and suddenly you realize she has the chance to do them. It’s almost impossible to put into words how happy that makes me.”

For the two months following the valve surgery, Sadie remained in the hospital.

She underwent a total of five open-heart surgeries and also received a pacemaker.

At one point during her recovery, she received some unforgettable visitors through Seattle’s Make-A-Wish Foundation: actors Chris Pratt and Chris Evans.

Today, she’s a happy toddler who loves watching Patriots football with her dad.

“She keeps us on our toes. She always wants to do things like go to the playground or the zoo—she absolutely loves the zoo,” Lee’or said.

“She can’t get enough of life. She’s never let any of this hold her back. She’s just the sweetest and happiest little girl.”

Source: Daily Mail