Thousands Pray on Social Media for Newborn Baby’s Miracle Heart Transplant
By Movieguide® Contributor
Thousands have been praying for the miraculous recovery of Augustus “Gus” Elliot Joubert, a two-month-old baby who is fighting for his life following a heart transplant.
On Jan. 16, Gus’s father, Mark, shared on X that his family had been given new life as his son received a successful heart transplant after being on a donation waiting list for only 11 days.
“Old heart is out, new heart is going in…” Mark wrote. “Thank God for the family that chose to donate. It’s been a long day. We probably won’t see [Gus] until 8 pm. The Lord is our refuge.”
My son is currently in surgery. He went in around 1 pm. Old heart is out, new heart is going in. We only spent 11 days on a transplant list. Thank God for the family that chose to donate. It's been a long day. We probably won't see him until 8 pm.
The Lord is our refuge. pic.twitter.com/V5OHYAfQpE
— Mark E. Joubert (@mark_joubert) January 16, 2024
Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse, and though the operation was successful, Gus’s new heart didn’t start beating right away. Doctors placed him on an ECMO heart bypass machine to keep his body alive and allow his new heart time to start working. However, Gus would only be permitted a few days on the machine, and if his heart had not started beating by then, it never would.
Though scared for his son’s life, Mark relied on the Lord, asking for prayer and that the “Lord be glorified.”
After two days of no progress, Gus’s heart began to weakly beat over the night of the 18th. During the next day, the strength of Gus’s heart continued to grow, though he still required the assistance of the ECMO machine. With time running out, Mark pleaded for another round of intense prayer.
“Friends, though not without natural anxiety in the face of this hardship, it is from faithful anticipation & not just fear that we keep asking God for more: Gus has pulsivity, yes – but echo shows poor function remains & time is limited. Pray with us for a functioning heart!” Mark posted on the 19th.
Friends, though not without natural anxiety in the face of this hardship, it is from faithful anticipation & not just fear that we keep asking God for more: Gus has pulsivity, yes – but echo shows poor function remains & time is limited. Pray with us for a functioning heart! pic.twitter.com/wYegUMGBzy
— Mark E. Joubert (@mark_joubert) January 19, 2024
The prayers for Gus were heard, and the Lord responded, strengthening his heart to the point that it began supporting Gus on its own. On the 22nd, Mark shared that the heart exceeded expectations during a test where it was fully taken off the ECMO’s support.
The operation to remove the ECMO, however, was not so smooth. Immediately after taking Gus off the machine, his blood pressure began to drop. However, the little heart began to stabilize right as doctors were going to place him back on the machine.
The doctors didn’t know why the heart was struggling or if it would remain stable without further intervention.
After nearly a day of tentative relief, Gus’s blood pressure began to drop again, forcing him back to the ECMO machine.
After a day of extensive testing, the doctors realized that micro-blood clots had begun forming in Gus’s body. His right lung took the brunt of the damage, and thankfully, the rest of his major organs were spared. Though he remained on the ECMO machine, doctors could address the problem.
As Gus continues to fight for his life, Mark is asking for prayers over his son’s recovery.
“Gus is fairly stable right now…” Mark wrote in an update on the 24th. “He needs time (several days at least) to heal and recuperate before we would try to come off again. Complications like clotting and bleeding are always a threat while on ECMO… The current theory as to why we are back on ECMO: damage to his right lung needs to heal. Being on ECMO provides that opportunity.”
“Please pray for his lungs to recover and inflammation to reduce,” Mark continued. “These are big obstacles, but we continue to plead with our Heavenly Father for intervention and healing. We pray Gus remains stable overnight and that we can all get some rest. Time is of the essence. Thank you to all who have prayed for us. Please continue to intercede.”
Please pray for Gus as his life continues to hang in the balance. Pray that the Lord will continue to hear our cries and work a miracle in this baby’s life.
