At Gift of Life International, our vision has always been clear: to save the lives of children across the world in developing nations. Since 1975, we have dedicated ourselves to providing humanized medical care to children with congenital heart defects, regardless of their geographical location, economic status, or background.
We firmly believe that every child deserves a chance at a healthy life, and we are committed to making that a reality through comprehensive medical support and compassionate care.
Together, with our network of global partners, we achieve a little bit of that mission every day. Another day, another child’s life saved.
As one would imagine, we have a lot of tough days too. The journey of providing critical medical care to children with heart disease is filled with challenges, from the complexity of medical procedures to the emotional toll it takes on their families.
However, every once in a while, we are humbled by a story that fuels our resolve to help even more children. And today that is the story of two-year-old Nyle Eck from Belize.
Be sure to read Nyle’s full story here and you can even watch it on CBS News!
A Medical Miracle
Nyle’s story has touched hearts worldwide and it’s not difficult to understand why. Hailing from Belize, Nyle was born with a rare congenital heart disease known as supravalvular pulmonary stenosis (SVPS), a narrowing of the artery located just above the pulmonary valve, the main artery that is responsible for carrying blood to the lungs.
Nyle was first diagnosed in September of 2022 when he was only three months old, but it was not until February of 2023 that Gift of Life Belize (GOL Belize) first met and diagnosed Nyle. It was thanks to GOL Belize & Operation Hippocrates – Rotary Club of Omaha (Downtown) that Nyle was able to undergo an initial CATH lab procedure in Belize.
But ultimately, his condition required a more complex surgery.
With limited medical resources in his home country, the prospects for a successful surgery were grim – enter, Gift of Life. We were determined to get this little boy on a plane as soon as possible!
From Belize to New Jersey
And that’s where the miracle begins.
Now with the support of Gift of Life NJ (Morris County), an affiliated Gift of Life Program, GOL Belize was able to sponsor Nyle coming to New Jersey for the more complex surgery.
From the moment GOL Belize learned about Nyle’s condition, they mobilized resources, demonstrated meticulous planning, coordinated between medical teams, as well as provided and secured the necessary logistical and financial support to ensure he received the best possible treatment. Both Gift of Life NJ & Gift of Life Belize played a pivotal role in facilitating Nyle’s travel and treatment.
Their dedication and determination exemplify the true spirit of compassion and community support.
Arranging the surgery wasn’t easy, a true testament to the networking power of our movement.
Pictured left to right: Kelly Thibault, RN, MSN, CPNP, Nurse Practitioner with Nyle and Rajiv Verma, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Director of the Children’s Heart Center at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
Gift of Life New Jersey met and hosted Nyle and his mother, Sheena Bernardez, in the United States. Upon arrival, Nyle began treatment with the team of pediatric cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (an RWJBarnabas Health facility), led by Dr. Rajiv Verma.
This is what true care looks like.
We are all eternally grateful to Gift of Life NJ and their unwavering support and dedication to Nyle and his family.
According to Dr. Verma, “Without additional intervention, Nyle would have gradually developed worsening heart failure, thus restricting his ability to live like a normal, active child.
Based on his cardiac functional level and previous transcatheter intervention in Belize, the collective decision for the most appropriate next intervention was cardiac surgery.”
A Successful Surgery
The surgery was a complex procedure that required the expertise of a skilled pediatric cardiac surgical team. The medical staff worked tirelessly, and the operation was a resounding success!
Celebrating Nyle’s 2nd Birthday at Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center less than 72 hours after his life-saving heart surgery. Left to right: (front row) Kelly Thibault, RN, MSN, CPNP, Nurse Practitioner; Nyle Eck; Rashmi Aggarwal, RN, MSN,APNC, AVP, Operations; Donn Orellana MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Director, Patient Care Services. (back row) Joshua Rosenblatt, MD, Chair Department of Pediatrics; Anne Reilly, MS, CCLS, Manager of Child Life Department; Derrick McQueen, MD, Director, Pediatric Critical Care Unit; Nyle’s mom Sheena Bernardez; pediatric ICU care team.
Following the surgery, Nyle has been recovering well. Only two days after his life-saving surgery, Nyle celebrated his second birthday on June 17th.
The team at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center celebrated with a procession of gifts and well wishes for a speedy recovery. He was discharged on his birthday and is already back in Belize to celebrate with his entire family!
While we do experience tough days, the faces of the children we serve and the gratitude of their families fuel our determination – just like little Nyle and his family.
Each child’s smile after a successful surgery, each parent’s tearful thank you, and each story of a life saved remind us why we do what we do. These moments of joy and triumph make every hard day worth it.
These are the moments we live for.
But, Nyle’s journey is far from over, and with your support, we can ensure that he, and many others like him, have the chance to live healthy, fulfilling lives.
We thank our incredible global network of partners for making stories like Nyle’s possible, and we thank you for being a part of this incredible story and for helping us make a difference, one child at a time.
Brenda Small is the Operations Consultant at Gift of Life International. She assumed this role in 2012.
Brenda was inspired to help children in need with heart disease after her third child was born with a complex heart defect and underwent successful open-heart surgery in her first year of life. Brenda learned of Gift of Life International in 2006 at which time she established Gift of Life Los Angeles where she holds the position of President. Between 2008 and 2012, Brenda volunteered her time to help with Gift of Life International in addition to running Gift of Life Los Angeles.
From 2012 to 2022, Brenda held the position of Director of Operations for Gift of Life International. Today, she continues this lifesaving work as Operations Consultant. Brenda also implemented the Nutritional Program in El Salvador in 2008 which has now provided nutritional support to more than 250 children and their families. Brenda has traveled with many of the Gift of Life training teams and witnessed these precious lives being saved.
