Miracle Monday: Because of Children’s Hospital, ‘she’s so happy’

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - One local family is counting their blessings when it comes to their little girl.

Maddisyn, now 5 years old, is living her life like any other kid after spending a little under a year at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia.

She loves to run around and be a kid.

Sadly, it wasn’t always fun and games. Maddisyn and her twin brother were born at 24 weeks, weighing one pound and three ounces.

“Their heads were as small as a halo cutie,” said Maddisyn’s mom, Stephanie Slater. “Their skin was translucent. You could not touch them because they were so unstable.”

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Maddisyn’s brother ed away at 12 days old, something Nathaniel Quarles says cuts deep to this day.

“The part that hurts me the most is losing my son,” said Maddisyn’s dad, Nathaniel Quarles. “That’s a connection she will never have. I’m actually a twin and it takes a lot, but my baby is still here and we’re still holding on.”

Despite being very sick, Maddisyn continued to fight.

Her condition was so complex that she needed a higher level of care. She was rushed to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia in an ambulance at 4 months old.

“When we got here, we had that hard talk that Maddy was a lot sicker than we thought and she was going to need full ventilation, a trach, and things of that nature,” said Slater.

Maddisyn has Chronic Lung Disease. Her first surgery was at 6 weeks old to close a hole in her heart, followed by a tracheotomy at 6 months old, which is a procedure that helps air and oxygen reach the lungs by creating an opening into the windpipe.

“We were shocked, terrified, but we knew she would need some extensive , but a trach is scary but it was a life-saving alternative,” said Slater.

Maddisyn had airway reconstruction surgery back in June where they removed the trach. She had been on a ventilator her whole life up until just last year when she was no longer confined.

“It’s freedom. It’s great,” said Slater. “She is so happy and you really don’t think there was ever anything wrong with her.”

Maddisyn spent 225 days in the hospital, followed by countless hospital stays. Both Quarles and Slater say they are thankful for this hospital.

“We owe everything to MCG because if it wasn’t for them, she wouldn’t be here,” said Quarles. “My biggest thing that I want to do as a father is walk her down the aisle. I mean I’m happy she is here and eventually we will get there.”

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