SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Former young patients that underwent life-saving heart surgeries were able to reunite with their doctors and nurses for a day of celebration and fun.
The reunion took place at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Southwest Miami-Dade where the health staff and their former patients had a rare, but rewarding moment together.
“It is not usual for us to see a patient a long, long time after intervening on them, so this is very very rewarding, like extremely rewarding when you see the kid you intervened three years ago and you see the kid and they remember you. That’s why I’m here,” said Dr. Daniel Duarte, Interventional Cardiologist at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
The experience was very meaningful for the kids and their parents.
One mother was at the event with her son, Jaime, who, through a preventative screening, discovered he had a hole in his heart. Six months after his treatment, he’s fully recovered and filled with excitement.
His mother said it was the early talk with his doctor that got him into the operating room.
“For those who are a little hesitant of having any preventative screening or getting in contact with your pediatrician, it’s just much easier to have that safe conversation with a pediatrician so that they can help you figure out your next steps and potential diagnoses and receiving healthcare,” said the mother.
Jaime’s surgery was completed at the right time as he recovered from the surgery just in time to attend his first day of school.
Some patients have been attending the reunion for years and inspire younger patients, telling them their CHD, or congenital heart defect, makes them special.
“There’s a bright future ahead. You can be a teacher, a doctor, lawyer, CEO, whatever you want and your CHD really gives you a superpower, something really special. It shows you how to fight and really become a warrior,” said former patient Brody Galloway.
One former patient is already following that advice. She is working as a medical assistant. She also appeared at the reunion to meet with the doctors who set her on that path.
“It inspires me to treat my patients the same way that they’ve treated me, show the same amount of compassion and empathy. I just love seeing them and updating them and just helping other kids with what I went through,” said former patient Alex.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.