A Derry boy had a miracle survival after suffering a heart attack aged just six months.
After a blissful few months getting to know his mum Karen, dad Stephane and two big sisters Caitlin and April, newborn Tommy Wight suddenly became poorly.
Speaking to MyDerry, Stephane said that his young lad, who is now eight and has a clean bill of health, gradually began to get a chronic cough that became so bad that "his heart was gasping for oxygen".
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He added: "It was very frightening at the time, but everything was really just a big blur for myself and his mum. We didn't really understand and the doctors would tell us that they would keep checking on him 10 minutes at a time.
"Usually people say 'take it one day at a time' but in Tommy's case, it was every 10 minutes. They told us that he could die at any stage because he was suffering from heart failure and having a heart attack.
"My wife was blue-lighted with Tommy to the hospital and I followed behind in the car and it was one of the scariest and most traumatic things that we've ever been through.
"But thankfully now Tommy seems to be doing fine. When he was three years old, he went through a surgery that got rid of the irregular heartbeat on one side of his heart and it has worked."
The family, who live in Drumahoe, has been organising a fundraising event for the last eight years to help Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation (ECHO)
ECHO provides support for children and young people with heart conditions and their families, something they did for the Wight's in their time of need.
"They were brilliant for us at that time," Stephane added. "Tommy had to be placed in a coma in intensive care because they wanted to slow down his heart so that it wouldn't go into cardiac.
"We eventually moved into the recovery ward and every Tuesday ECHO would come out and it is run by people who have been through similar situations with their own children.
“My wife stayed in the hospital for a month with my son and the stuff ECHO did was amazing. Providing a cosy room, arts and crafts for the kids, and cake for parents, they all made a difference to help her through those difficult weeks.”
Since 2014, Stephane and his family have been organising a BMX "Santa Cruise" fundraising ride in London to raise money for the charity, raising an incredible £120,000 to date.
Last year, over 800 BMX riders took part, dressed as Santa, elves, reindeer and the odd grinch.
And this year will be a hugely emotional occasion for the family as Tommy gets to take part in the ride alongside his dad for the first time.
They will BMX around central London on an eight-mile route taking in many of London’s landmarks and bridges before ending at the hospital that helped save his life.
"It's going to be a hugely moving day," said Stephane. "The ride will stop at the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, where presents and sweets will be given to the children staying there.
"It's the least we could do considering they helped save my son's life and they continue to do that for other people across the UK, they're amazing."
If you would like to donate to ECHO, you can do so HERE.
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