Two-Year-Old Baylor Waggamon Awaits Heart Transplant at UPMC
By Julie Perine on February 04, 2025
Baylor Waggamon is marking many of the same milestones of a typical two-year-old. He walks and knows lots of words and forms little sentences. He loves cars, dinosaurs, and Mickey Mouse. And his parents Jacob and Madison say he has a bubbly personality and absolutely loves attention.
But unlike other toddlers, Baylor spends all his time at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. And he will remain there until he is able to get a heart transplant.
Baylor was born Dec. 22, 2022, at 37 weeks gestation by emergency C-section at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. He had DILV - double inlet left ventricle – a rare congenital heart defect. Both the left and right atria of Baylor’s heart empty into the left ventricle, instead of two separate ventricles.
The diagnosis was not a surprise. The condition was discovered when Madison was six months pregnant.
“Madison is diabetic, and I had heart problems when I was younger,” Jacob said. “We had discussed that with the doctors, and he was tested. When we found out, we just decided we would deal with it when the time came.”
After his birth, Baylor spent a month at Ruby. Fluid was drained from his lungs, he was on oxygen and set up with a regimen of medicine. He was home for a few weeks before the fluid built back up and he had to return to the hospital for treatment and observation.
The first year or so of Baylor’s life, he was watched extremely closely. He was in and out of the hospital for various issues - a blood clot in his leg, problems with his vocal cords and breathing problems due to his enlarged heart putting pressure on his lungs. He also underwent surgeries for a ventricular assist device and installation of a pacemaker.
But during the summer of 2024, there was a definite change for the worse.
“He wasn’t eating or taking his medicine like he normally did, and we thought at first he was just sick,” Jacob said. “Madison was at her own doctor’s appointment when the nurse pointed out he was really pale. He was rushed to Ruby Emergency Department where they did an echocardiogram and realized he was in complete heart failure.”
The first course of treatment was medication, but it was evident days later that little Baylor was going to need a heart transplant.
He was transferred to UPMC on Aug. 2.
“They did all kinds of tests on him and Madison and I went through classes about what to expect,” Jacob said. “We were told he would need a Berlin Heart, basically to keep him alive until he receives a human heart transplant.”
The Berlin Heart is a mechanical pump that helps children with end-stage heart failure by temporarily taking over the heart's pumping function.
Just after the first of the year, Baylor was prepped for surgery because a heart had become available. But the organ was damaged and couldn’t be used.
Madison and Jacob spend nights at the Ronald McDonald House. Daily, Jacob travels approximately an hour to his work in the coal mines, then drives straight to the hospital afterwards. Madison stays with Baylor all day.
“I come here and spend time with him and teach him words, even though he gets speech therapy, and everyone is coming in and out of the room,” Madison said. “They monitor him and come in to check his heart every two hours, give him oral meds, baths 
and lots of attention - which he loves.”
and lots of attention - which he loves.”
Baylor also gets regular physical therapy.
“They take him on walks and work with him,” Madison said. “The rest of the time, he is in bed or in his little chair.”
Jacob and Madison remain positive and hopeful.
“When we found out during my pregnancy that Baylor had heart issues, we were asked if we wanted to continue with the pregnancy,” Madison said. “We knew we wanted to keep him. It was never an option to give up on him.”
The couple appreciates prayers and though they didn’t ask for it, said they would not be opposed to any financial contribution to help with medical and living costs.Donations can be made to Baylor's GoFundMe page HERE.
They know they have a long road ahead, but they continue to lean on God, each other and all the support received.
Jacob Waggamon is a 2016 graduate of Bridgeport High School. Madison graduated from Gore High School.
Baylor is the grandchild of Robin Lamb of Shinnston and Kimberly and Jack Waggamon of Bridgeport. Kimberly works in customer service at Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham and Jack is a member of Bridgeport Volunteers in Police Services and a crossguard at Johnson Elementary School.
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