Kylie's Kids: Meet Nicollete, A Heart Surgery Survivor At 9 Weeks Old

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- More than 11,000 heart surgeries have been performed at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota since the 1970s.

One of those was an emergency surgery, almost 9 years ago on Nicolette. This 10-year old is now doing great, and now this week's "Kylie's Kids" is using her talents to help others.

Nicolette doesn't remember the night she had heart surgery. But she'll tell you how important it was.

"They say like just imagine it if you weren't here right now we wouldn't have fun," Nicollete said.

"It's always hard to see those pictures but each time it gets a little bit easier and every time we're further away from it," her father said.

She was only nine weeks old when her parents brought her to the hospital.

"This baby, her heart was attacking her, it was horrible," her mother said.

Turns out Nicolette had ALCAPA.

"Plumbing issue in the heart, no oxygenated blood in the left ventricle," her mother said.

Nicolette is s now 10 years old and loves running and playing soccer.

"It's just fun, I get to kick the ball really hard," Nicollete said.

And every kick is reminding her parents of her miracle.

"Every time she runs, every time she plays soccer, they told us she would golf and that's it. No running, nothing. She's defied those odds," her parents said.

Every year she puts her skills to good use for the Heartbeat 5,000 5K. It raises money for other heart kids, just like her.

"It's kind of fun to do it," Nicollete said.

And each year her team grows even bigger.

"It's special to me because I know a lot of people care about me," she said.

"When she was as sick as she was in our darkest time I prayed to god please, let us keep her, let her stay here and I will give back the rest of my life and I have to make good on that promise. I can't let other kids go through this," her mother said.

Nicolette and her family will be in the Heartbeat 5,000 5k this weekend for the fifth year now. WCCO is partnering with Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota for the event, which is Saturday at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park in Minneapolis.

Registration is at 7:30 a.m. There are kids' activities and team photos from 8-11 a.m. The kids fun run 9 a.m. and the 5K Run/Walk is at 9:30 a.m.