The 2-year-old boy, awaiting a new heart at CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal, finally received the organ that will allow him to live.
• Also read: Young Eliam has been waiting for a heart for 14 months
“We are like on a small cloud. We feel very good,” said Sabrina Mercier Laplante, little Eliam’s mother, in an interview with TVA Nouvelles.
After 443 days on a waiting list, the boy received his new heart two weeks ago.
“This is the message of your life. I was happy, but at the same time I said to myself, it can’t be after such a long time. It’s a lot of emotions at the same time. It’s incredible,” said Jimmy Asselin, the child’s father.
The operation lasted 13 hours. During this time, the parents did the best they could to allay her fears.
“There was always the stress of getting calls and bad news. We have prepared Eliam’s things. But when we got the call, we were relieved,” Ms. Mercier Laplante said.
Little Eliam’s life was saved by a family who sadly lost a child. The identity of this man cannot be released as the donations remain confidential.
“Of course I want to thank them for the most beautiful gift there is on earth,” testified the father.
“We are very grateful to the family. We want to tell them that we are thinking of them. This is what allows Eliam to come home. We carry them in our hearts,” added the little one’s mother, touched.
Eliam’s parents will continue to promote organ donation because “it can bring a child back to life.”
“The family is finally reunited. We can now live without stress and then enjoy life,” concluded Sabrina Mercier Laplante.