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It was a milestone day for a Louisville toddler and his family. After spending the first 492 days of his life at Norton Children’s Hospital, Tamarion Paul finally went home — with a new heart.

Born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare and complex congenital heart defect in which the left side of the heart does not fully develop, Tamarion has fought for his life. The diagnosis came during Keiara Porter’s six-month ultrasound.

“It was overwhelming, scary,” Keiara said. “He’s our fourth kid. None of our other kids have any condition like this, so it’s been a journey.”

From the day he was born, Tamarion’s life revolved around intensive medical care. He underwent a Norwood procedure just days after birth, the first in a series of surgeries designed to reroute blood flow.

“Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is one of the most complex congenital heart conditions we deal with,” said Deborah J. Kozik, D.O, cardiothoracic surgeon with Norton Children’s Heart Institute. “It’s also one of the more serious heart defects that we see.”

Despite the surgeries, doctors determined Tamarion needed a heart transplant. To keep him alive while waiting for a donor heart, his care team implanted a ventricular assist device, or VAD, a mechanical pump that supported his failing heart. He remained on the device and the transplant waiting list for more than a year.

Finally, on April 13, 2026, Tamarion received the gift of a new heart.

While the transplant represented a major step forward, the road to recovery was anything but easy.

“He was really sick coming out of transplant for quite some time,” Dr. Kozik said. “But in the last four to six weeks, he’s really turned the corner and taken off.”

Today, 16 months old, bright-eyed and with a head full of hair, Tamarion is playful, joyful and always smiling. He enjoys watching “Bubble Guppies” and bringing smiles to those around him.

Seeing him now is a stark contrast to where he started. Over the course of 492 days, everyone at Norton Children’s became much more than a medical team.

“This is like our second home,” Keiara said. “They’re family now. My [other] kids made bonds with the nurses and the people here too. They made my kids feel welcome.”

Now, after nearly a year and a half in the hospital, the family is eager to begin making memories together at home for the first time.

“I’m running out of here. I’m doing cartwheels,” Keiara said with a laugh. “It’s been a long time coming.”

The family looks forward to taking family photos, spending more time together and helping Tamarion continue to grow and develop alongside the rest of his family.

“I’m ready for him to meet family members he’s never even had a chance to meet,” Keiara said.

Leaving the hospital is exciting, but it also comes with mixed emotions.

“It’s a bittersweet moment,” Keiara said. “We’re going to miss the nurses and everyone who has been part of his journey.”

For Dr. Kozik, watching patients like Tamarion head home is one of the most rewarding moments in medicine.

“It’s really just the best feeling,” she said. “My hope is that he continues to have a good life, grows up and is just a normal little boy.”

Tamarion’s parents share that hope.

“My hopes for him are to just live his life to the fullest,” Keiara said. “Whatever he wants to do, I hope he gets to be a kid and enjoy life.”