Adriel Abad Hernández is the most strong willed, happiest and bravest 3 year old boy you’ll ever meet! Adriel is the youngest of 3. He has a sister who’s deaf and is 10 years old, and a older brother Josue who’s 4. Adriel was first diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) in the womb at 24 weeks. He underwent his first open heart surgery at one week old. There they noticed his heart was better than what they expected and would not proceed with their 3 step usual surgery plan. Instead, they widened his aorta which was severely closed.

Adriel thrived for the first year and a half, but at 18 months after his routine cath, they saw that the pressures of his heart appeared to high. The doctors decided to do a 2nd open heart surgery in December of 2022, right before his 2nd birthday, to resect dead tissue from his bottom left ventricle, in hopes that his heart would not have to work as hard to pump.

In April of 2023, Adriel was hospitalized with fluid overload but was discharged. In May of 2023 he was admitted to Goshen hospital for Heart Failure and then transferred to Riley Children’s Hospital, where he has been ever since.

In June, he had the Berlin Heart put in place to help his heart pump. In July, his heart pressures were low enough to be listed for a heart transplant. The road has been long and family has had their ups and downs, but Adriel has shown them he’s a warrior!

April 15, 2024, Adriel has received his hero’s heart, and he is showing how much of a fighter he is. The journey post transplant is to be continued…

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant and help with post transplant care by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.