Newborn saved by trooper receives successful heart surgery
By Nick Nelson
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WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — Kahl Huffman and Gracie Gray are relieved following a successful open heart surgery on their newborn daughter, Brexley on Thursday morning.
“We’re just so thankful we’ve gotten to this point. She’s on the road to recovery,” Huffman said. “I mean, the amount of prayers and support we’ve gotten from everybody. I mean, people we don’t even know, probably will never know, is just truly heartwarming.”
Brexley had stopped breathing on the morning of Mother’s Day, and was saved by Kansas Highway Patrol trooper Evan Jacks, who was on patrol just yards away from where the family was parked.
“I work in the medical field, but even whenever it’s your own child, it’s different,” Gray said. “But it was a huge relief when Evan was that close as he was.”
Gray and Huffman later learned that Brexley had had a series of heart defects, known as Shone’s Syndrome.
The parents had to wait weeks for open heart surgery at Childcare’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City.
“They plan to take her off the breathing tube (Thursday night),” Huffman said. “We’ll see how everything goes from there. She’s doing good.”
The parents took the opportunity after the surgery to thank Trooper Jacks for his heroic actions.
“We’re just so grateful he was there,” Huffman said. “And we know he’s an amazing guy. And he’s always gonna have a special place in our hearts in our daughter’s heart. I mean, without him, it’s hard to tell what would have happened and so he’s a heck of a guy.”
The family is still looking for help to pay off medical costs.
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