LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Less than a month after receiving a new heart, six-year-old Malia Croley is recovering and settling in at Cincinnati's Ronald McDonald House.
LEX 18 has been following Malia's journey of resilience since July. She spent more than 260 days at Cincinnati Children's Hospital battling cardiomyopathy.
Care providers recently lined the hospital hallway to celebrate as Malia recovered from her life-saving heart transplant. Her mother, Jerrica Croley, called the moment surreal.
"I was like bawling my eyes out," Jerrica said. "I was super super happy. I was kinda sad to be leaving all my friends and family that I've created over the last year," Jerrica said.
Malia had a chance to hold her natural heart today. Jerrica said doctors told her they had never seen a 5-year-old living with so much scar tissue.
"I tell her she's strong and I know that she's strong but to see what she was actually living through was amazing," Jerrica said.
Malia turned six on Saturday. Jerrica said her daughter is adjusting well to her second chance at life.
"She is just doing so good, she has had no hiccups, she's been very active," Jerrica said.
Malia's new day-to-day routine is busy.
"She goes to cardiac rehab three times a week, she goes to school Monday through Friday, she has clinic throughout the week, she has labs once a week," Jerrica said.
Throughout the journey, Jerrica said she cannot say enough about the outpouring of support from the Lexington community and beyond. A Facebook page dedicated to her daughter, called Malia's Faith Over Fear, has more than 38,000 followers.
"There'd be some nights when I would be crying and I would go through the comments and there's 50 prayers praying just for my baby and I was like wow that's amazing," Jerrica said.
Malia will spend three months at the Ronald McDonald House before getting set to go back to school in the fall.
