Kyleigh Ward, local seven-year-old with heart failure, has something to celebrate

You may remember our story about little Kyleigh Ward from Gulfport. She and her mom have spent the last several months at Texas Children’s Hospital, waiting on a heart transplant for Kyleigh.

In fact, she hasn’t stepped outside of the hospital since her arrival in August. Kyleigh just celebrated a birthday and a major moment in her health journey.

Happy tears for a happy birthday girl. Seven-year-old Kyleigh Ward and her family were overcome with emotion when her classmates and teachers at Crossroads Elementary didn’t let hundreds of miles get in their way of wishing her a happy birthday.

Her mom Briancca says the gesture means everything to her and Kyleigh, who has lived her whole life with heart failure and spent the last seven months in Texas waiting on a heart transplant. “I love the school. They’re so sweet. I want to go back to Crossroads myself.”

“I want to go back to Crossroads Mississippi right now!”

Kyleigh is now a step closer to have her wish come true because she is coming back home to South Mississippi. “They had a cath done in January. That cath came back really good. Like the best numbers she’s ever had done from a cath procedure since she’s been born. They think it’s because of the milrinone which was supposed to make her stable enough to wait for her new heart but it ended up actually making her feel better and making her heart function a little more properly. “

That means that Kyleigh is no longer active on the transplant list, but Briancca says the longer she can live on her own heart, the better.

Their fight for Kyleigh’s life is far from over, but their return home is a battle won. Briancca, who has spent months away from her other daughter, one-year-old Kamree, describes the feeling. “It means i can finally breathe. It feels nice to have both of them in the same spot for once. “

For Kyleigh, she’s most excited about her job as big sister to Kamree.