5-Year-Old Jack Middlemiss Has 'A New Chance At Life' Thanks To Heart Transplant
DRACUT (CBS) – Thanks to an anonymous donor's act of kindness, Jack Middlemiss has a second chance at life.
Jack was born with a heart disease called cardiomyopathy. It's the same disease that his brother Joseph died from at age six, just 30 days after Jack was born.
His parents, Kate and Scott Middlemiss, knew that Jack was on the same path.
"We were counting down the days thinking we only have until he is six to get him better, to get him a new heart," said Scott.
The Middlemiss family doesn't have to wait any more. Jack had a heart transplant at Boston Children's Hospital in February, and is well on the road to recovery.
Jack turned five last week. Now he gets to enjoy things he never did before.
"Just this exuberance, this spark in him that he didn't necessarily have before," said Kate.
In 2016, Jack stole everyone's heart when he ran across the Boston Marathon finish line with Scott.
It's been about seven months since his transplant, and Jack still has a long journey ahead. But so far, all reports are good for Jack.
"He's been a brave, tough, very resilient boy, but we are on a different path," Kate said.
On September 22, the Middlemiss family will host the 5th Annual Middlemiss Big Heart 5K to help raise money for the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation, which helps other cardiac patients.
"The biggest thing we do is spread acts of kindness in Joe's memory around the world," said Scott.
An anonymous donor shared the ultimate act of kindness with the Middlemiss family by donating Jack's new heart.
"This gift of a new heart, a donor really gives him a new chance at life," Kate told WBZ-TV.
And that is a bittersweet gift for the Middlemiss family.
"We know that for him to live and for him to have a happy life, another child had to pass away," said Scott. "We don't know the circumstances, but we do know there's another set of parents who were in the same situation we were five years ago that were dealing with the loss of a child. They made that decision during their grief and made that ultimate sacrifice and selfless gift and gave our son another chance. We're forever grateful for that and that's not lost on us. We understand their pain and their suffering. For them to bring us this joy means so much to us."