Our son, Ozzy Austin Dooley, was born on October 23rd, 2025, strong, alert, and already making sure his needs were known with that tiny but mighty cry. He loved his milk, skin-to-skin naps, and was already showing that bold little spark that made us feel like he could take on the world.

But on Saturday, November 1st, when Ozzy was just 9 days old, everything changed. Around 2 a.m., he threw up his bottle and wouldn’t eat. We thought it might be gas, so we tried burping him and soothing him, but then we noticed his breathing was labored and shallow. We rushed him to the ER at Saint Thomas Rutherford, where a team of doctors immediately took him back. They worked to stabilize him but could not find the cause. Before long, they contacted Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, and by late morning, Ozzy was being transported there.

At Vanderbilt, doctors and specialists worked urgently to uncover what was happening. A cardiologist detected a heart murmur, and after several hours of testing and treatment, they discovered a coarctation of the aorta, a rare condition where part of the aorta is too narrow, preventing enough blood from reaching the lower body. The odds of this happening are roughly 1 in every 2,500 births. In Ozzy’s case, the lack of circulation caused stress to his liver and kidneys, which the doctors are now helping heal before they can safely perform open-heart surgery.

Ozzy continues to show incredible strength, our little fighter, and the doctors tell us he’s progressing in the right direction. He’s been through more in a couple of days than most people face in a lifetime, but his spirit and fight haven’t faded.

We are trying to stay strong for him. Lizzy and I are at his side every moment, but as you can imagine, the medical costs are heavy. These funds will go directly toward medical bill relief and anything Ozzy needs during his recovery.

Your love, warmth, prayers, and positive energy mean the world to us right now. Truly, that alone is enough, but if you’re able to donate, please know it will go directly toward helping our baby boy heal and come home healthy.

Thank you for standing with us in this fight.

With love and gratitude,

Austin, Lizzy, and Baby Ozzy Dooley