Baby Girl’s Heart Stops at Home — Her Parents Perform CPR Before She Begins an Extraordinary Fight for Life

AUSTRALIA — A family from Geelong is sharing the remarkable survival story of their daughter Willow, who overcame a series of life-threatening medical emergencies after being born with a rare congenital heart condition.

Now four and a half years old, Willow continues to receive regular cardiac care. Her parents, Kim and Micky Bell, hope their experience will help raise awareness of children living with heart disease.

A Rare Heart Condition Discovered Before Birth

Willow’s medical journey began before she was born, when doctors diagnosed her with Ebstein’s anomaly, a rare congenital condition affecting the structure and function of the heart.

Concerns about her abnormal heart rhythm led to her premature delivery at 33 weeks.

Her early arrival marked the beginning of a challenging period for the family as doctors worked to manage her complex medical needs.

A Terrifying Emergency at Home

After Willow’s initial hospitalization, her parents faced another frightening moment when their daughter stopped breathing at home.

Kim and Micky immediately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, before Willow was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.

The incident became one of several critical challenges in the young child’s fight for survival.

Ten Days on Life Support

Willow’s subsequent medical treatment included open-heart surgery and full heart-lung life support.

She also experienced serious complications, including disseminated intravascular coagulation, a condition that disrupts normal blood clotting.

Despite the severity of her illness, Willow recovered sufficiently to come off life support after ten days.

Four Years Later, Willow Continues to Grow

Today, Willow is four and a half years old and continues to undergo regular cardiac assessments.

Although further surgery may be necessary in the future, her family is celebrating the progress she has made since those frightening early months.

Kim and Micky are now supporting HeartKids’ annual Two Feet and A Heart walk in Connewarre, sharing their experience while recognizing the community that helped them through Willow’s medical journey.

Their story reflects both the challenges families can face following a serious congenital diagnosis and the importance of specialist medical care and community support.

Source: Herald Sun, October 16, 2026. Reporting on the Bell family’s experience and their participation in the HeartKids awareness event.