A 9-month-old baby who suffered 25 cardiac arrests in just 24 hours and endured 17 surgeries has become a living miracle. Little Theo Fry defied death even before he turned one year old.
It all began when Theo was rushed to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool after developing blood poisoning. His mother shared that “everyone expected him to die.”
Doctors soon diagnosed him with an interrupted aortic arch—a serious heart defect. His heart had two holes in it and was failing to pump blood through his body properly.
Though it seemed at one point he was on the mend, Theo was taken back to the hospital after suffering repeated heart attacks in January 2017. Against all odds, he pulled through, astonishing his medical team.
Theo’s fight started just eight days after his birth in May 2017. His mother, Fauve Syers, 30, recalled that one moment he was sleepy, and the next, his skin turned blue and grey.
He was rushed to Salford Royal Hospital where more than 40 doctors tried to understand what was wrong. Fauve and Theo’s father, Steven Fry, 35, were told their son was in critical condition.
Although doctors hadn’t yet diagnosed him, they confirmed he was suffering from heart failure and would not survive without immediate surgery.
On January 31, surgeon Dr. Ramana Dhannapuneni operated on Theo. But during the surgery, Theo suffered a heart attack—and then another one in the days that followed. He remained in Alder Hey for three months.
During his stay, he also battled sepsis, a life-threatening condition, before finally being well enough to return home in July 2017.
However, the worst was not over.
Theo was admitted to the hospital again with an extremely high heart rate. On December 21, he suffered yet another heart attack. His heart stopped for 12 minutes.
Before January 31, he experienced two more heart attacks. Then, in a horrifying 24-hour span, Theo suffered 25 cardiac arrests.
His mother said: “He had 25 cardiac arrests in 24 hours.” She added, “It was horrific. He was having attack after attack. I knew he couldn’t take much more. Every time it happened, nurses would buzz for the arrest team. He had the most buzzers pressed overnight in intensive care anyone can remember.”
She continued, “I watched the resus team working on him with every chest compression, thinking, ‘Oh my god, please don’t let this be his last breath.'”
Dr. Ramana operated on Theo again. Though he didn’t expect him to survive, he proceeded—because without the surgery, Theo had no chance.
During the operation, Dr. Ramana discovered that Theo’s left ventricle was covered in scar tissue. He opened it up, and miraculously, Theo improved.
His mother said: “Everyone who sees him says how happy he is,” said Fauve. “It’s incredible what he’s been through. He’s so strong.”
Dr. Ramana Dhannapuneni added: “Theo suffered the most arrests in 24 hours I have heard of—it is very rare and unusual. We had to operate immediately, as he wouldn’t have survived much longer. It was very risky. It could have gone either way. But he pulled through and his recovery was amazing. The difference in him is incredible.”
Theo’s story is a powerful reminder that God is still in the business of miracles. When hope seemed lost, and when doctors could do no more, God gave strength to a tiny heart that refused to stop beating.
In every surgery, every setback, and every breath, His hand was there.
For anyone facing impossible odds, may this child’s journey remind you that nothing is beyond God’s reach. He is still our healer. He is still able.
