Many people may know him as the little boy with severe heart problems. In his five years he has endured a lot, but that has not stopped him from leading a normal life. Like many boys and girls his age, he is enjoying playing t-ball, something he wants to do very much.
He has had three open heart bypass surgeries, and six heart catherizations performed to repair his heart. That's a lot of experience with doctors and hospitals for someone so young. His last surgery was on March 24th of this year at Vanderbilt. The cardiac specialists repaired a hole in this little boy's heart. Heart surgeons put the hole there when he was just four days old, so his blood had a choice of flow. Dylan was what some people would call a blue baby. The good news is that when he went back for his check-up two weeks ago, he was doing so well that he won't have to come back for a whole year.
Dylan's parents noticed about a year ago he was very interested in girls fast pitch softball. He would play with his sisters Jasmine and Dalana Clark, so his parents signed him up for t-ball, and he loves it. He wants to be a pitcher like his sisters. One thing that was hard for him to learn was to throw over-handed instead of wind mill. At first he thought he was supposed to throw like a girl since he watched his sisters do it that way so much.
He is playing t-ball for D & D Home Repair & Remodeling and his coach is Andrew Cline. He has done wonderful playing t-ball this season and has not had to sit out even once. Dylan did get knocked down by another player while running to first base, but he said “I'm okay Mama, I got to get on my base” and kept running. . He does everything in t-ball just like the other kid.
Of course his condition does cause him some physical restrictions. This once upon a time “blue baby” still takes four heart medications twice daily to help his heart perform correctly. His heart has only one heart pump, so he does tire more easily than most children. While he is on the field, if you noticed him squatting down, coughing, or sweating a lot, then that means he needs to rest his heart.
Of course as a little boy, he thinks he can do more than his heart will allow. His parents have to watch his closely and have him rest when they can. He will never be able to participate in high contact sports such as football and basketball, so he is enjoying t-ball while he can.
He has a huge scar down his chest, and will even show it off every now and then. He seems to be proud of it.. Dylan's mom says that when he was born, she wondered if he would ever get to do what others kids did at his age. She has prayed for the last five years for her son to have a semi-normal life, since he had such a painful start.
God answered those prayers, and now Dylan plays t-ball, has made lots of friends, and plays like a normal little boy. The family enjoys watching him play, and it brings them such joy.
What more could a mom and dad ask for?
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