Infant Home After Spending Nearly 1 Year In The Hospital

After three open heart surgeries, a baby girl is finally home with her family for the first time. 

Kalani Beehler isn't just her family’s bundle of joy, but their miracle baby.

“It's also emotional because we didn’t think that she would be here,” Emily Leader, Kalani’s mom said.

Despite Kalani’s big smile, Leader said she has not had it easy.

Kalani was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

“It was terrifying. I was scared. I asked so many questions like why. Why is this happening to us? We have a healthy son. It changed our lives,” Cody Beehler, Kalani’s dad said.

Her doctor, Dr. Harold Burkhart, said her condition is common and most babies grow up to live a normal life, but Kalani's recovery took longer than expected.

“We would do the one operation and they would go home, and they would come back four or five months later for the next operation, but she was never in a healthy or safe enough situation,” Dr. Burkhart said.

She stayed in the hospital, going through open heart surgeries and other procedures. Her mom moved to OKC full time from Miami to be closer to her. 

“We actually only signed a six-month lease here because we were like we're going to be home in six months. That did not happen, Kalani Grace had different plans for us,” Leader said.

After that long journey, she's finally home.

Kalani is making up for lost time with her older brother Elias.

“She's had very hard days and she hasn't given up on us,” Beehler said.

This Saturday will be Kalani's first birthday. Her parents said they're looking forward to celebrating how far she's come.