“This is the hardest post I’ve ever had to make. My life will never be the same. Valentina took her last breath this morning in my mom’s arms.”
This was the heartbreaking post of Francesca, three-year-old Valentina Garnetti’s mother. The toddler spent nearly 700 days in the hospital due to a heart defect. The sheer amount of time she spent in the hospital has made headlines for her.
In April 2021, Valentina became the center of attention when she received her first-ever release from CS Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan. She was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at birth, and from May 2019 until March 2021, she spent every day in the hospital.
Valentina underwent numerous surgeries over the course of almost 700 days, including four open heart surgeries, and she spent 14 days on life support.
“The world is a sadder place today. I’ve never felt a pain like this. I don’t know who I am as a person without Valentina. She was my whole life. She made me a better person and she’s shown the world what a true miracle is,” the heartbroken mother said in the Facebook post.
“It brings me comfort knowing that Valentina is now whole and healthy in heaven with a heart that is no longer broken and she can run and walk and talk and eat and do all of the things that she loved watching others do,” Francesca added.
Valentina the fighter
Francesca issued a fervent prayer request on July 16. Valentina was not breathing anymore and had no pulse. Francesca started performing CPR as soon as she realized her daughter wasn’t breathing and kept doing so until EMS arrived. After being taken to the hospital, Valentina underwent an additional 90 minutes of life-saving procedures but was unable to be revived.
The fact that her child was now “healthy in heaven with a heart that is no longer broken and she can run and walk and talk and eat and do all of the things that she loved watching others do,” as Francesca put it, gave her some solace.
Her older sister comforted their mother, saying, “Don’t cry. Even though Valentina’s in heaven now, you’ll always be her mom.”
In 2021, Valentina first made headlines for her prolonged hospitalization of 694 days. She was born on May 1, 2019, with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect. In March 2021, she was able to return home for the first time ever.
Valentina underwent six surgeries during her stay in the hospital, including four open-heart procedures.
“She has just had complication after complication after complication. So everything that ould go wrong, went wrong in Valentina’s case. She’s a fighter. So everything that she went through has brought us to this point,” Francesca said.
The National Institutes of Health state that medical advancements are continuing to increase the survival rate for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. As stated by the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition interferes with the heart’s normal blood flow. According to the CDC, every year in the United States, 1,025 infants are born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Continue to pray for the grieving family that they may receive comfort from the Lord and that He provides all the financial needs to cover all their expenses.