A four-year-old Bengals superfan is recovering from her fourth open-heart surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital this week, and her family says the one thing lifting her spirits is the hope that quarterback Joe Burrow might send her a letter. Ella Garey was born with a rare heart condition and underwent her latest surgery this week, according to her family.
Ella's aunt, Abby, says the girl is staying strong thanks in large part to her love of the Cincinnati Bengals, as reported by WKRC. As cards from friends and well-wishers pour into her hospital room, Ella has convinced herself that every single one is secretly from Burrow, the quarterback she knows simply as No. 9. Her family is now hoping the real Burrow might make one of those imagined letters come true.
A Long Road Through Multiple Surgeries
Ella's condition has already required four open-heart surgeries in her short life, a level of medical intervention that reflects just how serious congenital heart defects can be. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that such defects affect roughly 1 in 100 live births nationwide, making them the most common type of structural birth defect in the country. Pediatric open-heart surgery involves cutting through the breastbone. Cincinnati Children's performs more than 300 open-heart operations annually, according to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
She is recovering at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Why Cards Matter So Much Right Now
The flood of get-well cards has become a meaningful part of Ella's recovery, and her family is asking the public to keep them coming. Anyone wishing to send Ella a letter of encouragement can mail it to P.O. Box 171 in Independence, Kentucky.
A Hope for a Reply
Whether he or his team responds to Ella's family remains unconfirmed, but for now, the outpouring of cards from the community has given a four-year-old fighting through her fourth heart surgery something to hold onto.
