Hometown: Columbus, OH
Age on Race Day: 18
Diagnosis: Congenital Heart Block
At 20 weeks in utero, Hayden’s heart rate was dramatically slower than average. By 20 weeks, a baby’s heart rate should be around 140 beats per minute, Hayden’s was a worrying 51 beats per minute. Just one week later, Hayden, while still in utero, had his first appointment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Heart Center. On that day, the cardiologist confirmed that Hayden had a congenital heart block, and for 10 weeks, he was closely monitored. When he began to show signs of heart failure, he was delivered by emergency C-section at 30 weeks on the 4th of July. He weighed 3.7 pounds.
Hayden received his first pacemaker when he was just four days old and spent the first 43 days of his life in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nationwide Children’s. At the time, he was the third smallest baby to receive a pacemaker. When Hayden was 1 year old, the lead from his pacemaker disconnected from his heart, requiring surgery to implant a new pacemaker and leads.
Through it all, Hayden’s stayed a happy, cheerful kid. He loves Ohio State Sports, golf, volleyball, and e-sports.
“Because his doctors allow him to feel like a part of the team, he is willing and able to speak up, self-advocate and trust that his doctors will take him seriously”, says Sabrina, Hayden’s mom. “I think that's why Hayden's so confident and comfortable in the hospital and why he's always happy to talk about how great it is.”
