“Ellen’s Only Boyfriend” Speaks Out Two Weeks After Heart Transplant
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SALT LAKE CITY – It’s been two weeks since 9-year-old Tayt Andersen of Rigby received a new heart. He’s been recovering at Primary Children’s Hospital and his family says he’s doing incredible.
“I’m good,” an excited Tayt Andersen said in his first interview since surgery. “I got a new heart!”
Tayt was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome – a rare condition that is almost always fatal. He waited his entire life for a transplant and on June 23 it finally happened.
“There’s a moment during the bypass process that all the nurses and all the doctors just kind of hold their breath like, ‘Okay, let’s hope that this one beats,'” Tayt’s godmother, Lori Embree, said. “The second the donor heart was put in, it was beating like it was his all along.”
Tayt’s spending his days in physical therapy and watching his girlfriend Ellen.
Years ago, the talk show host heard about Tayt’s wish to meet her. Since then, he’s been on her show several times and on the day of his surgery, he received a surprise phone call.
“Ellen called and talked to us and talked to Tayt,” Embree said. “She said, ‘You can do this’ and just gave us all a pep talk. It was awesome.”
Tayt looks and sounds good but he still needs medical care. Doctors will be monitoring him for at least six months making sure his body doesn’t reject the heart.
“He’s just got an IV in his arm and that’s it,” Embree said. “We go on walks two or three times a day and seriously we have a hard time keeping up.”
Because of his recovery, his mother, Chrissy, will have to stay in Salt Lake City. A GoFund Me account has been set up to help with financial burdens.
“Chrissy was kind of stressing out a little bit about how we are going to do this so I started a GoFund Me,” Embree said.
Tayt’s family hopes he’s home by Thanksgiving. Until then, he’ll keep repeating his favorite line from his favorite movie ‘Finding Nemo.’ It’s a motto that has helped him year after year.
“Just keep swimming, just keeping swimming,” Tayt said.
Tayt’s mother and family want to thank everyone for their support and prayers. They also say they’re praying for the donor family – who they don’t know – and say they’re truly sorry for their loss.