Jagger's Story: Heading Home After 548 Days in the Cardiac Care Unit

When 1-year-old Jagger was born prematurely with a congenital heart defect, his parents, Justin and Torie, anticipated a 6-8 week hospital stay. Instead, it stretched into their first child spending 548 days in Children's Nebraska's Neonatal Intensive Care and Cardiac Care Units, where his medical complexities required the most advanced care from multiple specialties. After numerous ups and downs with his condition, a long-awaited solution came in July 2023 -- a life-changing biventricular repair thanks to collaboration between new division chief of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Ram Subramanyan, M.D., Ph.D., and cardiothoracic surgery colleague Camille Hancock Friesen, M.D.

The surgical intervention was the turning point for Jagger, who finally headed home for the first time in October. Watch to see the culmination of Jagger's long journey, his family grateful for an excellent outcome and to have their baby home for holidays.

Learn more about Children's Criss Heart Center and its comprehensive care for Cardiology & Heart Surgery patients and families at ChildrensNebraska.org/Heart.

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