CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Nikcole Gerhardt knew something was wrong at 24 weeks pregnant during what should have been a routine prenatal ultrasound with their surrogate.
"I could see the big screen, and I knew his heart did not look right," Gerhardt said.
Her son, Everton Johnson, now 22 months old, was born with two critical heart defects: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, where the left side of the heart is too small to pump blood properly, and Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, a rare condition where blood vessels from the lungs don't connect correctly to the heart.
Doctors delivered a prognosis with no guaranteed outcome.
"We met with the doctor in Maryland. She wanted us to terminate," Gerhardt said.
Gerhardt says her faith guided her decision.
"I believe that my children have a purpose in this life," Gerhardt said.
Everton, from Chesapeake, underwent his first life-saving surgery at UPMC at just 8 days old.
"12 hours later, Everton ended up having cardiac arrest in front of his father," Gerhardt said.
The cardiac arrest was just the beginning of a lengthy medical journey. Gerhardt says her son faced blood clots, seizures, and countless complications. Then came another devastating blow.
"Everton had a significant stroke in my arms," Gerhardt said.
Gerhardt says doctors told her Everton would never use the right side of his body. She refused to accept that prognosis.
"I told them they aren't going to tell me that he can't do something," Gerhardt said.
Through the darkest moments, Gerhardt and her husband found strength in their community, leaning on their other children, family, and friends who rallied around them.
"It definitely took a village," Gerhardt said.
Dr. Mario Castro-Medina, a Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, was one of Everton's surgeons. He says the combination of defects is extremely serious.
"This combination has a high mortality rate," Castro-Medina said.
Despite the grim statistics, Castro-Medina saw encouraging signs that made him confident about proceeding with Everton's first surgery.
"The function of his heart was good. Second, the size of his veins were good size," Castro-Medina said.
Castro-Medina says it also helped that Everton's parents came prepared, asking the right questions at crucial moments.
"You know, Everton's parents are well educated," Castro-Medina said.
Today, while challenges remain ahead, Gerhardt says it's time for Everton to experience childhood joy alongside his ongoing medical care.
"We try our best to make sure that he does everything a normal 22-month-old does," Gerhardt said.
Gerhardt says she will show her son his journey and his strength, and that his smile helped her get through one of the toughest times in her life
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