Family of 8-month-old battling heart issues inspired by Eagles Super Bowl run

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — As the Eagles prepare for Super Bowl 57, one of their toughest and youngest fans proves a true warrior.

Despite his very rocky start to his young life, the nurses who work with this special little guy say he keeps their spirits up.

“He was born a healthy baby in May. great birth. We didn’t know he had one of those heart defects,” Tania Aponte said of her 8-month-old son Kaysn.

He has already had three corrective heart surgeries to save his life, one of which was performed just a few days ago.

“We were scared because it was a very risky procedure. They did a total of five repairs on his heart at once,” Tania said.

But there was one bright spot in everything – the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Man the Birds has given us something to look forward to on Sundays,” Tania said.

But if you ask the staff at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, it’s Kaysn who has taken the Eagles to new heights.

“Every time Kaysn has worn Eagles gear, we’ve won. The one time we didn’t win, he wasn’t wearing Eagles gear that day because I forgot,” said Tania.

She even says the CHOP team now requires Kaysn to be appropriately dressed for each game day.

“The doctors come in all the time and say, ‘Is Kaysn wearing his Eagles gear?’ They’re like, ‘Okay, we’re going to win today,'” Tania said.

The mother says they will be watching the Super Bowl from her room on the sixth floor at CHOP.

Just as her son is overcoming the odds, she too is predicting the Eagles will take home the Lombardi trophy.

“Kaysn has been a miracle from the start. Just like the Eagles, they always counted out us and Kaysn. They never knew how good he would be and he’s still here today and we’re going to see another Super Bowl,” Tania said.

She also wanted to remind everyone that February is American Heart Month.

She is hoping for donations for treatment and research.

You can donate to CHOP by clicking here.