Minnesota 4-year-old has already had 8 heart surgeries, with more to come
MINNEAPOLIS — Whether it's a game of tic-tac-toe with mom, or playing in the kitchen with dad, 4-year-old Evelyn Otto's personality shines.
"She's definitely a little boss," Evelyn's dad, Ross Otto, said. "I love it. I wouldn't change that little attitude for anything."
Her strong demeanor is a reminder of what she's overcome. On the outside she looks like any other 4-year-old, but if she lifted her shirt, you'd see her "superhero scars."
"You couldn't tell that she's been through eight heart surgeries and all the other different procedures that she's been through," Ross Otto said.
Ross Otto and his wife, Kelly, found out the chambers of their daughter's heart didn't form properly during pregnancy. A congenital heart defect called completed balanced atrioventricular septal defect, or AVSD.
"It was a gut punch," Kelly Otto said. "It wasn't something you'd expect. You're just expecting a healthy baby."
According to Children's Minnesota Dr. Charles Shepard, heart defects aren't uncommon; about one in 100. AVSD is the most common type of heart defect. But what came next for Evelyn Otto was rare.
"Unfortunately, you can't name every possible challenge—which Evelyn has seemed to have found almost every challenge along the way," Shepard said.
Evelyn Otto had her first heart surgery at 3 months old, but it was the first of many. From an artificial heart valve to a pacemaker before her first birthday, infections and even cardiac arrest, she underwent eight surgeries before her second birthday.
"It is absolutely amazing how resilient Evelyn is," Ross Otto said. "And I think that's a combination — got a little bit of both mom and dad's attitude in there. She's a fighter, no doubt. Definitely a fighter."
Evelyn Otto's journey isn't over—and she's in for at least two more surgeries to replace her pacemaker and valve as she grows. She'll also rely on medication. But for the most part, she's like any other kid.
"There are limitations, but there's also great expectations that she's going to have a very full and wonderful life," Shepard said.
Kelly Otto says watching her daughter run, play and imagine, after times she thought the outcome may be different, is incredible.
"It's so humbling. It's incredible," she said. "I'm so grateful to have her here. I can't imagine life without here. She's our little hero."
