Last month, the McDaniel family gathered at Children’s Hospital Colorado to bid their final farewell to 4-year-old Cartier McDaniel, whose heart had stopped beating hours earlier.
After doctors informed Destiny Anderson and Dominique McDaniel, parents of Cartier, that his life support machine would soon be unable to sustain his body without a heartbeat, they took turns praying at his bedside and resting in the waiting room. Some even slept in the waiting room during this difficult time.
Despite numerous efforts, none of the attempts to revive his heart were successful.
“It was the most devastating moment of my life. The entire hospital room seemed to spin around me. I was trembling uncontrollably, unable to comprehend that it was actually happening,” Anderson shared.
In a remarkable turn of events, Anderson and McDaniel were astounded to witness their young son’s heart spontaneously start beating again, a staggering 19 hours after it had initially stopped.
Anderson and McDaniel were informed by doctors that there was no scientific or medical explanation for the sudden reactivation of Cartier’s heart. The hospital stated that the doctors who treated Cartier were not available for comment at the time.
McDaniel attributed the occurrence to a spiritual force, stating, “It was God.”
On April 8, Cartier started experiencing a fever, which Anderson managed by administering Tylenol.
“I believed it was just a common cold that would eventually pass,” she expressed.
The following day, he experienced a deterioration in his condition. His hands and feet grew cold, his mouth took on a bluish hue, he began sweating, dark circles emerged around his eyes, and he struggled to breathe.
Anderson found it strange that his usually active and inquisitive child drank lots of water that day and stayed in bed.
According to her, it was evident that something was seriously wrong when Cartier began wetting his bed.
After noticing her son’s symptoms, she contacted the nursing line for Children’s Hospital Colorado. Upon hearing the symptoms, they advised her to take him to the hospital right away.
During diagnostic testing for ailments like diabetes, Cartier experienced a moment of distress when his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and medical professionals were unable to detect a pulse. This alarming event indicated that he had entered a state of cardiac arrest, according to Anderson and McDaniel.
Despite their best efforts, CPR was administered to no avail, leaving Anderson feeling helpless as he watched the scene unfold.
Tears streamed down her face as she watched the doctors vigorously pressing on his chest. Her emotions overwhelmed her, and she found herself succumbing to hysteria.
The medical staff led her out of the emergency room.
According to the National Institutes of Health, cardiac arrest is a condition where the heart abruptly and unexpectedly ceases to pump, causing the flow of blood to the brain and other crucial organs to come to a halt.
According to the agency, it is responsible for causing approximately 300,000 to 450,000 deaths in the United States annually.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, survivors of cardiac arrest may experience brain damage and internal organ injuries.
According to Today.com, Audrey Schoeman, a 34-year-old British hiker, miraculously survived what doctors consider to be the longest cardiac arrest in Spain’s history. Her heart stopped for an astonishing six hours during a snowstorm in 2019.
She managed to survive despite not receiving immediate medical attention, unlike McDaniel.
McDaniel was diagnosed with a strep A infection by emergency room doctors. His parents were unaware of the specific infection he had, but strep A can cause a range of infections including strep throat and scarlet fever.
They stated that the condition resulted in sepsis, which is the body’s severe reaction to an infection.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, over 75,000 infants and children in the United States are diagnosed with severe sepsis annually. Tragically, this condition claims the lives of nearly 7,000 children, surpassing the number of children who lose their lives to cancer each year, which stands at 1,800, as reported by Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a pediatric cancer charity.
According to Cartier’s parents, when his heart stopped, doctors resorted to using a form of life support that involved pumping his blood through an artificial lung. This process helps in adding oxygen to the blood and removing carbon dioxide.
According to Dr. Michael Fundora, a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, the treatment can sustain a patient’s life even if their heart is not functioning. However, medical professionals need to assess the potential recovery of other organs and body parts. Dr. Fundora was not involved in Cartier’s care and did not review his medical records.
Medical personnel worked tirelessly for half an hour attempting to revive McDaniel while his body was under assault from strep A, as relayed by his parents. Following this, Cartier was transferred to the intensive care unit.
“We’re just praying for the best,” Anderson said, expressing the uncertainty they were facing at that moment.
The doctors informed the family that there was little chance of Cartier surviving.
According to Anderson, doctors informed her that he was on life support, but they predicted that the machine would eventually stop functioning.
That night, the rest of the family visited the hospital to bid farewell to the 4-year-old boy. According to his parents, he was a brave and adventurous child who loved seeking thrills, such as discovering spiders and playing games at the arcade.
“I must admit, I had my fair share of doubts regarding whether everything would turn out alright. After all, I am only human,” confessed Anderson, a parent of six other children, three of whom are with McDaniel. “The thought of breaking the news to my kids that their brother might not be coming home was overwhelming.”
“I had come to terms with the possibility that this might be part of God’s plan,” she reflected.
Relying on her faith, she prayed to God to be by her son’s side.
Cartier’s heart started beating not long after.
Doctors initially believed that Cartier would lose his vision due to the damage caused by a lack of oxygen to the part of his brain that regulates sight. However, they later changed their prognosis and stated that he would actually retain his vision, much to the relief of his parents.
According to Velez, it is difficult to determine the long-term prognosis for Cartier, as the recovery potential of a child’s developing brain and kidneys can be unpredictable.
According to Fundora, it is also possible that he experienced harm to other organs.
Cartier’s release from the hospital is currently undetermined, according to his parents.
Anderson expressed deep regret for not heeding McDaniel’s advice and taking her son to the hospital earlier. She couldn’t help but blame herself for the delay, feeling that she could have prevented the situation from worsening.
She regretfully admitted, “I should have sought help sooner. If I had waited any longer, the situation would have worsened. I waited too long.”