Long Island Siblings Saved By Heart Transplants Beat COVID

WADING RIVER, NY — Long Island parents who received a second miracle beyond words in June when, for the second time, a donor heart was found for one of their children – their son Buddy, just a year old — have now seen both children recover from COVID-19.

Brian Cotter, of Wading River, said both Buddy and his daughter Ruby, who also received a life-saving heart transplant for Christmas in 2020, battled COVID-19.

"We can add 'beat COVID' to their list," Cotter said. "Something we feared and avoided for as long as possible due to their compromised immune systems. We were extremely unsure how the virus would affect them, but we also knew that any virus for them is dangerous. They both recovered faster than mom and dad did, without needing a hospital visit."

Reflecting on the most recent health hurdle to scale, Cotter said he and his wife Ashley remain filled with gratitude: "We are always reminded of tough times and grateful for the good ones."

Although it wasn't easy for his family to face COVID, "at least we were all together. We are very thankful our kids were blessed with such strong hearts and undeniable fighting spirits."

Just months after his son Everett — affectionately called Buddy – received his donor heart, Cotter said his boy is thriving: "Buddy is doing very well. He's been growing like a weed and following his sister around."

In December, Cotter said, Buddy will be six months post transplant. Ruby will be three years post transplant.

"Ruby has been going to school and loving it. We are living as normally as we can. Both kids are strong, confident and very happy. It’s just unbelievable," Cotter said.

In December 2021, Brian and Ashley Cotter faced the unthinkable: Two years after their first baby, Ruby June, received a heart transplant for Christmas, they were told their son, who celebrated his first birthday Dec. 30, also needed a new heart.

The news devastated the family.

"Never in a million years did we think our happy, healthy boy would be where his sister was almost two years ago. He has an enlarged heart — cardiomyopathy — same as Ruby had," Cotter said at the time. "We are broken. There are no words to describe this feeling — our sweet boy."

In the months after his diagnosis, Buddy remained hospitalized at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. His parents decided on a new ventricular assist device, an implantable mechanical pump that helps with heart failure and other issues.

The days and nights of waiting were long and filled with fear and uncertainty, but hope remained ever-present.

And then, the Cotters got the news that their baby boy would have his second chance.

"This morning Buddy’s entire team came in the room to tell us that they accepted a donor heart," he wrote on Facebook. "Although this is what we have been waiting for, it is also such bittersweet news. Our deepest sympathies to our donor’s family and our never ending gratefulness for our son’s second chance."

He added: "It has been a long six months of waiting. It has been emotionally draining. It has been lonely and sad. But it has also been amazing to see our son overcome everything thrown at him. It has been amazing to see him grow and learn. To see him smile through it all."

Speaking with Patch, Cotter said he and his wife were overwhelmed with emotion.

"He will have a long recovery ahead of him, but he is going into this strong and happy. Thank you to everyone for the love and support," Cotter said. "Thank you to all his nurses who worked tirelessly to make his life the best it could be. Thank you to the doctors and the entire team for keeping him with us — and getting him to his second chance."