CHULA VISTA, Calif. — Nothing can prepare you for parenthood, and a local family was not ready to hear their unborn child may die or have life long complications. For Annemarie and Stephen, they were presented with options but there was no doubt in their mind they were ready for whatever happened next.
"The lord works in mysterious ways, we’ve had the support of our families, work places, our friends, our church with prayers and doing the little things which means the world to us," said Stephen.
Stephen and Anne Marie never thought their dreams would come true, having a baby girl.
"We’re definitely going 100 miles per hour."
Severina Quinto, or Sevey as most know her by, the spunky 1 year old who loves apples and bananas.
You'd never know it, but Sevey was born with Alpha Thalassemia Major, the most severe type of a blood disorder that essentially strips oxygen from your blood.
Last June, the two were given a choice.
"It was either terminate the pregnancy keep going but you will have a still born," said Anne Marie.
Neither of those were going to work.
"We need to try whatever we can her heart is beating we know she’s there, we needed to try," said Anne Marie. Taking the chance, the two went forward. "They would inject blood into her umbilical cord," said Anne Marie.
After multiple intrauterine transfusions, Sevey was born in September of last year.
"We were prepared for thalassemia and everything that goes with it the blood draws the transfusions this liver thing took us for a loop," said Anne Marie.
A liver biopsy showed Sevey's liver was failing.
In the matter of just a few months of living, Sevey was placed on a liver transplant list. But hope was never lost.
Doctors told the two Sevey was improving and with much care Sevey's liver was showing improvement.
"What motivates me is she’s gone so far, as to teach us, she’s writing her own story as a dad that couldn’t make me any more proud," said Stephen.
So today, after 19 blood transfusions, weekly blood draws, dozens of trips to the hospital, Sevey is doing great. Her smile says it all. "every time we have a blood draw or a transfusion, we let her know Sevey you’re brave you’re resilient you can overcome anything," said Anne Marie.
Thanks to blood donors, children like Sevey are able to be happy and healthy.
If you'd like to help, CBS 8, The CW San Diego, and the Red Cross, along with SDSU, are all teaming up to bring you the largest blood drive in the state. The “Aztecs for Life” Blood Drive is Tuesday, November 16th.
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