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5-year-old Dalton boy faces life support after surgery
The parents of a 5-year-old North Georgia boy are asking for prayers and support as their son remains in critical condition following his third open-heart surgery.
ATLANTA - The parents of a 5-year-old North Georgia boy are asking for prayers and support as their son remains in critical condition following his third open-heart surgery.
What we know:
Joseph "JoJo" Hunter underwent his third open-heart surgery at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Arthur M. Blank Hospital to replace a conduit in his heart.
During the procedure, surgeons discovered an unexpected mass on the left side and found that the conduit appeared heavily calcified. Although his parents initially believed his recovery was on track and returned to their home in Dalton, his condition took a sudden and drastic turn.
Following doctor visits on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, a cardiologist discovered fluid filling the boy's lungs, prompting an emergency medical airlift back to the Atlanta hospital.
Since returning, JoJo's condition has worsened significantly. He suffered a cardiac arrest while intubated, experienced a stroke, and was placed on life support systems.
What they're saying:
"They say it's an hour-by-hour, day-by-day type of thing," said his father, Austin Hunter. Reflecting on how quickly the crisis escalated, Hunter added, "We took him to the fair the night before his open-heart surgery. Picturing him then and now and just how fast everything took a drastic turn."
His mother, Kendra Branson, emphasized how vibrant her son seemed before the setback, stating, "A normal kid. He played Fortnite. He ran outside. He thought he was Spider-Man. You would never know he had open-heart surgery." Branson added, "He's just the best kid in the whole world. To us, at least."
The family is openly asking for spiritual and medical support from the community. "For the people that pray, we ask that you pray for him," Hunter said.
The backstory:
JoJo was born with truncus arteriosus, a rare congenital heart defect that disrupts the normal development of the heart.
His medical battle began early, requiring his first open-heart surgery when he was just 7 days old, followed by a second procedure at about 7 months old.
Despite these lifelong challenges, his parents describe him as a normally energetic child who loved playing Fortnite, running around outside, and pretending to be Spider-Man. The family is currently staying at the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital while medical staff monitor his condition hour by hour.
What you can do:
The Ronald McDonald House is currently helping the family offset some of their immediate lodging expenses while they remain by their son's bedside in Atlanta.
However, JoJo's parents are also balancing regular household costs back home while trying to care for their three other children. Community members can support the family through targeted prayers, sharing his story with pediatric specialists, or assisting with their mounting financial strains.
To see the family's GoFundMe, click here.
What we don't know:
Doctors have not yet confirmed what caused the unexpected mass or the heavy calcification inside the child's heart conduit.
It also remains unknown how long the child will need to stay on life support or what specific long-term impacts the stroke and cardiac arrest will have on his recovery. The family is holding onto hope that other pediatric cardiologists or heart specialists might learn about JoJo's case and offer new insights to help him heal.