Bentely’s Story of Hope

When Baby Bentely was born in India in 2021, his parents were told right away that he had a very serious heart defect that needed immediate surgery. Their tiny newborn was placed on a ventilator and referred to the cardiac specialists at Amrita Hospital. It was his one chance for healing.

While Bentely’s mother recovered from the complicated birth in the hospital near their home, his father accompanied him to Amrita in an ambulance. Both parents were terrified because doctors warned them that the surgery Bentely needed was very risky.

Baby Bentely was diagnosed with transposition of the great arteries (TGA) and pulmonary stenosis. TGA is a birth defect in which the two main arteries leaving the heart are reversed. This reduces the amount of oxygenated blood to the body and can be fatal. Pulmonary stenosis is a condition in which the pulmonary valve is too narrow, which makes the heart have to work harder to pump blood through the valve. Pulmonary stenosis also can be a life-threatening condition, meaning that Bentely had double trouble. He was one sick little boy.

Bentely’s father worked as a carpenter, and the family had nowhere near enough money for his operation. Doctors at Amrita referred the parents to LWB’s India Medical Care program for financial assistance, and within hours we were spreading the word about this baby boy who so desperately needed surgery. We were so grateful to all the people who stepped in to donate and save this precious little life!

Surgery took place when Baby Bentely was just four days old, and we all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard that he was stable and resting in the hospital ICU.

Recovery was a little bit rocky, but ultimately Bentely was weaned from the ventilator and discharged two weeks later. The family was reunited at last, and Bentely’s parents were overjoyed. They had already suffered through an earlier miscarriage, so you can imagine their state of mind when they learned of their son’s heart defects. Thankfully, at his one-month checkup, doctors found that Bentely had normal cardiac function and asked the parents to come back for another assessment in a few month’s time.

We hoped that the family would have time to settle into a blissfully normal routine, but unfortunately the growth of little Bentely’s pulmonary valve did not keep up with the rest of him as he developed. He grew weak and suffered through several respiratory infections before finding himself back at Amrita Hospital eight months later for a second surgery. Once again, our supporters stepped up to make sure Bentely would have his chance for healing.

This time around, cardiac surgery was a success! Bentely has become a lively and adorable toddler. Our staff in India regularly checks in on him, and we are very pleased with his progress. We finally got to see a cute little grin from his 9-month post-surgery update.

For Bentely’s 12-month update, our India team asked his parents what they remembered from the time of Bentely’s first surgery. His father replied that it was a very painful situation. He became emotional as he went on to describe cradling his baby boy at only two days old and running out the hospital door to the ambulance. In that moment, he was terrified that his child – his only child – would not survive.

Back then, Bentely’s mother was recovering alone in the hospital, and she was also terribly frightened. Since she grew up in an orphanage, it had always been her dream to have a child. She hugged our manager and vowed that she would never forget LWB because of the peace and support that she had received knowing that her son was getting the surgery he needed to survive.

What a blessing that those feelings of despair have been eased!

At 20 months old, Bentely was an active little tyke who walked and ran with confidence, and that he was already developing quite a vocabulary. His mother proudly reported that he knew MANY words. Bentely was steadily gaining weight and no longer struggled to breathe.

These days, yet another year older, three-year-old Bentely does not remember a time when he was ill. Although he might need an additional surgery around the age of 10, doctors feel that he can have a very normal life. His parents say that their son is a happy boy who brings them great joy. He started attending preschool last month, and his family has asked that we might provide prayers and blessings over this next part of Bentely’s life. His parents say they are truly grateful to LWB and our supporters!

Our India manager has beautifully summed up Bentely’s story of hope: “It is amazing to see how LWB (and our supporters) plays this unique role to mend the broken, hold the families together, and give hope to the hopeless.”

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