“Daddy, I’m Getting a Heart!”: 11-Year-Old Girl’s Tearful Call Moments Before Transplant
“Daddy, I’m Getting a Heart”: 11-Year-Old Ava’s Tearful Call That Marked the Miracle Her Family Prayed For
One call. Three words. A moment that changed everything.
In a world filled with noise, sometimes it only takes a whisper to move mountains. And for Sean Cooper, that whisper came from his 11-year-old daughter, Ava, whose trembling voice on the other end of the phone said what he had dreamed of hearing for nearly a year:
“Daddy, I’m getting a heart.”
A Life Born Into Battle
Born on July 1, 2014, in Akron, Ohio, Ava Cooper came into this world fighting. She was diagnosed with multiple complex heart defects and underwent her first open-heart surgery just six days after birth. While other children learned to ride bikes and play in parks, Ava learned the hum of hospital monitors and the rhythm of courage.
In May 2024, what began as a simple sinus infection escalated into severe heart failure. Ava was rushed to Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, where doctors made the call no parent wants to hear: She needed a transplant to survive.
Over 200 Days of Waiting, Hoping, Praying
The months that followed were filled with uncertainty. Ava remained in the hospital for over 200 days, undergoing treatment and waiting on the transplant list. Every day brought new challenges—and new strength.
Her mother, Jamie Cooper, 39, stayed by her side, while her father, Sean, juggled caring for their younger daughter and running the family’s car dealership. The entire family held tightly to hope.
Then, one quiet March morning in 2025, the phone rang.
The Call That Changed Everything
Jamie picked up the phone—and everything stood still. There was a donor. A match had been found.
With tears streaming down her face, Jamie turned to her daughter and whispered the miracle: “It’s happening.”
Ava picked up the phone and dialed her father.
“Daddy,” she said, her voice soft but certain.
“I’m getting a heart.”
Sean was speechless. “I dropped to my knees,” he later said. “After everything she had been through… we were finally going to get our little girl back.”
The Surgery That Saved Her Life
The transplant was performed later that month by Dr. Hani Najm, one of the most renowned pediatric heart surgeons in the world. The surgery was long and complex—but it was successful.
Ava’s long hospital journey—spanning eight months—came to an end when she finally returned home. The little girl who once lived minute by minute in an ICU bed was now dancing in her living room, alive and smiling.
A New Beginning, A Deeper Gratitude
“I was so excited and couldn’t believe it was actually happening,” Ava shared with a smile that lit up the room.
For Sean and Jamie, that moment will never be forgotten. “She called me, and those words—‘I’m getting a heart’—they’ll stay with me forever.”
More Than Medicine: A Community’s Love
Ava’s story is more than just a medical miracle. It’s a story of resilience, of family, and of a community that never gave up. Thousands prayed. Dozens of doctors fought. One donor family made the ultimate sacrifice.
And through it all, Ava never stopped smiling.
