GEORGETOWN, KY. (LEX 18) – Two-year-old Brynn Warren’s laughter as she played on the playground in a neighborhood park on Monday morning was just infectious.
“It brings us a lot of joy and happiness to see her laugh and laugh and be happy again,” said Brynn’s father Jimmie Warren.
Courtesy of Kristyn Warren
Brynn’s parents Jimmie and Kristyn said they were more than grateful to see this side of Brynn after a traumatic year.
“It was probably the hardest thing I have ever experienced,” Jimmie said.
For over five months, she was in the hospital, fighting for her life.
“I just couldn’t figure out what was going on,” Kristyn said. “I just remember curling up and crying for hours on end just because I couldn’t imagine it. It was such a hard thing to deal with.”
Courtesy of Kristyn Warren
Brynn was born with cardiomyopathy. The left ventricle of her heart was so enlarged that it was difficult for her heart to pump blood through her body.
Over time, his condition worsened. On June 19, she underwent a heart transplant.
“There is nothing that can prepare you for this,” Jimmie said. “Going through it can break a lot of people. But somehow we did it together. Stronger together.”
Courtesy of Kristyn Warren
Jimmie thanks the doctors and nurses at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for guiding them through this.
Their family also supported them. Kristyn’s father and sister looked after their three other daughters while they were hospitalized.
Friends and even strangers also sent gifts and letters of encouragement.
“It really meant a lot,” said Kristyn tearfully as she pulled a stack of letters written by a church congregation out of an envelope. “It meant so much to my husband and I to sit down and read. I really felt the love we have from everyone here.”
They are also eternally grateful to the family who donated their child’s heart so that Brynn could live.
“Brynn wouldn’t be here if these parents hadn’t made the decision for Brynn to receive their child’s heart,” Kristyn said. “I could never be grateful enough. I could never express my gratitude to this family, but I made a promise to myself and to this other family that I will take as much care of this heart as possible to make sure. that their baby did not die in vain. “
Courtesy of Kristyn Warren
The Warrens still have a long way to go to take care of Brynn as a transplant recipient, but they are hopeful for the future.
They also pray that Brynn’s twin and sister don’t have the same issues as Brynn. They were also diagnosed with cardiomyopathy.
“Of course, I’ll do whatever it takes for my kids, but I can’t imagine going through this again, so I’m just praying that it doesn’t happen for them too.”
