South Florida

Baby Receives New Heart at Hollywood Hospital

A baby is going home from a South Florida hospital with a new heart just in time for the holidays.

Kaiden, who is just 11 months old, underwent the procedure at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital in Hollywood.

Around Easter, he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart and doctors gave him a mechanical heart while they waited for a biological one.

Doctors were able to transplant the new heart last week.

"You think you have a healthy son, there's nothing wrong with him and you're told by doctors who grab your hand and say 'We'll do everything we can but we can't guarantee his life,'" mother Kristen Bracken said.

Kaiden will have to take medications so his body doesn't reject the new heart, but otherwise, he's doing great.

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