Watch CBS News

Baby Heart Patient 'Amazing Ava' Eases Into Normalcy At Home

(CBS) -- The little heart patient known as "Amazing Ave" is home.

CBS 2's Brad Edwards shows us the first few weeks of her new life.

Little Ava Martin waited 111 days for a heart. In mid-December, she got it and now she's home.

You could say the story went from heart failure to heart-warming.

"It still doesn't seem real we're so used to her not being well," Ava's mom, Aime, says.

The heart that beats in Ava's chest is from William "Willy" Heard, a Tennessee child who choked on a piece of chicken. The boy's grief-stricken parents decided to donate the child's heart – a gift for which the Martin family is grateful.

Ava's challenges aren't over. She's on several medications, and rejection is still possible.

She's on methadone to ween her off the pain meds she's accustomed to.

Still, Aime Martin is glad to have some semblance of normalcy at home with Ava and her sister.

"Just sitting on the floor and playing with both girls side by side -- that's something we weren't able to do before," the mom says.

Ava's family hopes one day meet the donor family in person.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.