- G
- M
My sister Angela (Angel) Allen was born in 1966 with a rare heart defect. Her heart pumped her blood backwards and her heart had a hole in it. (Transposition of the great vessels). The doctors told our then 18 year old mother and 21 year old father to take Angel home and love her as much as they could because she could not possibly live for more than a few weeks.. Nobody had ever survived this birth defect.
Two years later, she had defied medical convention and she had survived, but she was very sick.
Dr. Norman Shumway of Stanford suggested an experimental surgery where they would attempt to rebuild Angel's tiny heart. The surgery had never been performed and once again Angel was not supposed to live. As a two year old baby, she defied the odds again by surviving this operation, the first of many painful heart surgeries and recoveries.
As she grew, she had to have more surgeries as her heart would outgrow the medical implants that were keeping her alive. I remember vividly when I was 13 years old and Angel was 15. She went away for yet another heart surgery. I prayed for her to survive her operation. I asked God to let my sister live. I promised that I would never ask for anything again in my life. He answered my prayers and since then, whenever I think of praying for something, I remember my promise and I tell God, "Thank you . I don't need anything." He has already given me the biggest gift that I could ever have hoped for.
Angel has now had 5 major heart surgeries and countless other procedures. I don't remember her ever complaining once. She is always more worried about how everyone else is coping than she is worried about herself. I can only imagine how terrified she must've been each time they were about to put her under for each surgery. Knowing that she might not wake up.
Another memory that that I will never forget is overhearing my parents talking about Angel's illness when I was a young child. They talked about how the doctors said that Angel will never have a normal life, she will never do what other kids can do, and the most frightening thing I overheard was that Angel, my sister, would most likely die before she was 40 years old.
But Angel never let her condition slow her down. She fought to do everything any other kid could do. I remember her turning blue sometimes when she ran as hard as she could to prove she wasn't different from any other kid. Because of her fearlessness, I often forgot about her heart. She was just a normal sister to me. Until each time that she had to have another heart surgery. Then, the seriousness of her condition would hit us all like a ton of bricks as the family would sit in the hospital waiting room wondering," Is this the one, the one that will take her from us."
But Angel is a survivor.
I almost forgot to tell you how Angel was given the title "Miracle baby". When Angel was 15 years old and a Sophomore at Mira Loma High School. The local ABC television station found out about Angel's journey and how she had continued to beat the odds. The did a week long special with an episode every night on the evening news. The story culminated in following Angel to the hospital and covering her as she went through one of her major open heart surgeries. ABC news called the segment "The Miracle Baby." My mom still has the VHS tapes.
One of Angel's dreams, ever since she was a little girl, was to become a police officer. She joined the police cadets as a teenager. But no matter how much heart she had, her heart condition prevented her from passing the medical examination. Instead, she would follow in her father's footsteps and she has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for over 20 years. Angel's devotion to help people did inspire all three of her younger brothers to fulfill her dream. I am a 25 year veteran police officer. Our brother John is a police Sergeant. And our youngest brother David is a deputy sheriff. None of us would be in law enforcement without the inspiration we got from our big sister.
Angel also always dreamed of being a mother. Doctors warned her that her heart would not hold out during a pregnancy and they strongly recommended against it. As you should know by now, Angel has an indomitable spirit and fear and not trying have never been options for her. She gave birth to two sons, Kevin who is now 24 and Cody who is 21. But Angel wasn't done. Nine years ago, at age 39, Angel and her husband TJ decided to try again, in order to have the daughter that Angel had always dreamed of having.
During her pregnancy she had complications and the doctor recommended an abortion. Angel sought a second opinion. That doctor also recommended aborting the pregnancy. Well, doctors had never stopped her before. She kept going until she found a doctor that would help her through her pregnancy. (Pictured below are Angel and her beautiful 9 year old daughter Ashley).
Angel's most recent surgery was in 2012. Her heart once again was giving her problems. She was not getting enough oxygenated blood. Her doctor referred her to a surgeon in Portland that was doing a study on an experimental surgery to repair scar tissue in the heart. As the longest known survivor of her heart defect, the surgeon wanted Angel in the study. Her stent was 90% blocked by scar tissue. They inserted a metal mesh tube into the stent and expanded it with a balloon. They removed the balloon and the mesh stayed in place and reopened the stent. Angel was back to work and back in the gym working out within weeks. I have learned that there is nothing that this courageous woman cannot do when she sets her mind to it.
Recently, I was talking about how I was going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail when I retire in 4 years in 2019. Angel immediately told me that it was also a dream of hers. It was on her bucket list.
Of course, I thought, this is a 2660 mile, 5 month hike along the crest of the mountain ranges that run from Mexico all the way to Canada. Barely 600 people are able to accomplish this each year.
I asked her, "Do you really think you can do this?" Well, she just gave me that look that I have seen a thousand times growing up. She said, "I know I can do it, I just can't afford to do it. I would have to take 5 months off of work. How are TJ and I going to pay our bills and make our house payment, let alone buy the hiking equipment and supplies that I would need?" That is when I got the idea to help Angel accomplish her dream by starting a GoFundMe account for her.
Angel's husband TJ is completely behind her doing this and will be our support team should Angel get the funding that she needs.
I am hoping that people will read my sister's story and it will inspire them in the same way that she has always inspired me.
Can you find it in your heart to help the Miracle Baby defy the odds yet again? Please donate $5 or $10 dollars (or more). If a thousand people donate just a small amount each, Angel can accomplish one more MIRACLE.
Thank you, from Angel's biggest fan, her brother Michael Morris.
"You don't have the right to the cards that you believe you should have been dealt. But you do have an obligation to play the hell out of the ones that you're holding"
Cheryl Strayed (Author of Wild)
Two years later, she had defied medical convention and she had survived, but she was very sick.
Dr. Norman Shumway of Stanford suggested an experimental surgery where they would attempt to rebuild Angel's tiny heart. The surgery had never been performed and once again Angel was not supposed to live. As a two year old baby, she defied the odds again by surviving this operation, the first of many painful heart surgeries and recoveries.
As she grew, she had to have more surgeries as her heart would outgrow the medical implants that were keeping her alive. I remember vividly when I was 13 years old and Angel was 15. She went away for yet another heart surgery. I prayed for her to survive her operation. I asked God to let my sister live. I promised that I would never ask for anything again in my life. He answered my prayers and since then, whenever I think of praying for something, I remember my promise and I tell God, "Thank you . I don't need anything." He has already given me the biggest gift that I could ever have hoped for.
Angel has now had 5 major heart surgeries and countless other procedures. I don't remember her ever complaining once. She is always more worried about how everyone else is coping than she is worried about herself. I can only imagine how terrified she must've been each time they were about to put her under for each surgery. Knowing that she might not wake up.
Another memory that that I will never forget is overhearing my parents talking about Angel's illness when I was a young child. They talked about how the doctors said that Angel will never have a normal life, she will never do what other kids can do, and the most frightening thing I overheard was that Angel, my sister, would most likely die before she was 40 years old.
But Angel never let her condition slow her down. She fought to do everything any other kid could do. I remember her turning blue sometimes when she ran as hard as she could to prove she wasn't different from any other kid. Because of her fearlessness, I often forgot about her heart. She was just a normal sister to me. Until each time that she had to have another heart surgery. Then, the seriousness of her condition would hit us all like a ton of bricks as the family would sit in the hospital waiting room wondering," Is this the one, the one that will take her from us."
But Angel is a survivor.
I almost forgot to tell you how Angel was given the title "Miracle baby". When Angel was 15 years old and a Sophomore at Mira Loma High School. The local ABC television station found out about Angel's journey and how she had continued to beat the odds. The did a week long special with an episode every night on the evening news. The story culminated in following Angel to the hospital and covering her as she went through one of her major open heart surgeries. ABC news called the segment "The Miracle Baby." My mom still has the VHS tapes.
One of Angel's dreams, ever since she was a little girl, was to become a police officer. She joined the police cadets as a teenager. But no matter how much heart she had, her heart condition prevented her from passing the medical examination. Instead, she would follow in her father's footsteps and she has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for over 20 years. Angel's devotion to help people did inspire all three of her younger brothers to fulfill her dream. I am a 25 year veteran police officer. Our brother John is a police Sergeant. And our youngest brother David is a deputy sheriff. None of us would be in law enforcement without the inspiration we got from our big sister.
Angel also always dreamed of being a mother. Doctors warned her that her heart would not hold out during a pregnancy and they strongly recommended against it. As you should know by now, Angel has an indomitable spirit and fear and not trying have never been options for her. She gave birth to two sons, Kevin who is now 24 and Cody who is 21. But Angel wasn't done. Nine years ago, at age 39, Angel and her husband TJ decided to try again, in order to have the daughter that Angel had always dreamed of having.
During her pregnancy she had complications and the doctor recommended an abortion. Angel sought a second opinion. That doctor also recommended aborting the pregnancy. Well, doctors had never stopped her before. She kept going until she found a doctor that would help her through her pregnancy. (Pictured below are Angel and her beautiful 9 year old daughter Ashley).
Angel's most recent surgery was in 2012. Her heart once again was giving her problems. She was not getting enough oxygenated blood. Her doctor referred her to a surgeon in Portland that was doing a study on an experimental surgery to repair scar tissue in the heart. As the longest known survivor of her heart defect, the surgeon wanted Angel in the study. Her stent was 90% blocked by scar tissue. They inserted a metal mesh tube into the stent and expanded it with a balloon. They removed the balloon and the mesh stayed in place and reopened the stent. Angel was back to work and back in the gym working out within weeks. I have learned that there is nothing that this courageous woman cannot do when she sets her mind to it.
Recently, I was talking about how I was going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail when I retire in 4 years in 2019. Angel immediately told me that it was also a dream of hers. It was on her bucket list.
Of course, I thought, this is a 2660 mile, 5 month hike along the crest of the mountain ranges that run from Mexico all the way to Canada. Barely 600 people are able to accomplish this each year.
I asked her, "Do you really think you can do this?" Well, she just gave me that look that I have seen a thousand times growing up. She said, "I know I can do it, I just can't afford to do it. I would have to take 5 months off of work. How are TJ and I going to pay our bills and make our house payment, let alone buy the hiking equipment and supplies that I would need?" That is when I got the idea to help Angel accomplish her dream by starting a GoFundMe account for her.
Angel's husband TJ is completely behind her doing this and will be our support team should Angel get the funding that she needs.
I am hoping that people will read my sister's story and it will inspire them in the same way that she has always inspired me.
Can you find it in your heart to help the Miracle Baby defy the odds yet again? Please donate $5 or $10 dollars (or more). If a thousand people donate just a small amount each, Angel can accomplish one more MIRACLE.
Thank you, from Angel's biggest fan, her brother Michael Morris.
"You don't have the right to the cards that you believe you should have been dealt. But you do have an obligation to play the hell out of the ones that you're holding"
Cheryl Strayed (Author of Wild)