On Sept. 1 at only 4 years old, Malachi Eaton will be placed on a heart transplant list. This will be the fourth open heart surgery he has had to endure, with the first coming when he was 9 days old.
Malachi is your typical fun-loving, fiery 4-year-old full of love and life. He has a baby brother, Mason, who is 22 months old, and they are patiently awaiting the arrival of a new baby sister in October.
Not only is this family facing a heart transplant five years sooner than predicted, they now have to relocate from Hillsboro to be within 40 miles of Children’s Hospital — a requirement that allows them to be eligible to receive the new heart for Malachi.
After the transplant, Malachi will be living in the hospital for four months, with his parents staying in a nearby hotel or the Ronald McDonald house. They will have to continue to live within 40 miles of Children’s Hospital for the first year after Malachi’s surgery to monitor him.
This family is facing many obstacles at once. One thing the community is able to assist them with are the costs of housing, medications not covered by insurance, and basic daily expenses they will face.
A fundraiser will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at Samantha Freewill Baptist Church, 10211 S.R. 72, Leesburg.
Event organizers encourage anyone who is willing and able to donate a new item to the auction to reach out to Julie Watson at 937-509-1233, Taryn Duncan at 937-403-8609, Heather Green at 937-708-6884, or Aaron Watson at 937- 403-7116.
The event organizers are able to come and pick up items from your location.
Donations can also be made to “Malachi’s Heart” at any Merchants National Bank location.
Gift cards or certificates can be mailed to Samantha Freewill Baptist Church.
“Please come out to support this sweet boy and his family,” a news release said.
