Candice Pridemore gave birth to her beautiful son, Sage, and everyone thought everything went smoothly. But with her own mother’s instinct, she knew after watching him breathe that something was wrong. She asked the nurse, who assured her he was OK, but doctors thought differently. They immediately took Sage into a helicopter and left Candice and her husband, Bryan, in the hospital waiting in fear and suspense for their newborn son’s survival. Soon enough, they were told their son was born with a defect called hyponastic left heart syndrome, which their son Sage now likes to refer to as being “born with half a heart.” Sage had his first surgery when he was only 7 days old, his second when he was only 3 months old, and his third when he was 3 years old. He knows more struggle than many adults, and his parents know heartbreak more than most, but he has survived! He’s now 8 years old. Candice says that she knows one day he will have to have a transplant, but in the meantime, thanks to University of Florida Health, he’s alive and well. For now, he’s running around happily. When he needs that new heart, this family will keep their faith in the people at UF Health. Source
