Four-year-old Matteo Anello is waiting for his second heart transplant after being born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He had open-heart surgery at one week old and received his first heart transplant at eight months old. In July 2023, Matteo was diagnosed with coronary artery disease, which has led to his current hospitalization and need for another donor heart. As of now, he has been waiting for five months at the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville, hoping for a donor match.
Matteo’s mother, Crystal, has stayed with him in the hospital, while her husband and their older son, Leo, live in Palm Bay and visit on weekends. Crystal, a teacher, has taken family leave to care for her son. The family is doing their best to provide Matteo with a sense of normalcy while managing his health challenges.
As they wait, the Anello family is sharing their story to raise awareness about the need for organ donors. They emphasize the shortage of available transplants, especially for pediatric patients, and urge people to consider becoming organ donors. Crystal highlights that signing up to be a donor can be done easily online or during driver’s license renewals, and it can save or improve lives.
