‘Miracle’ preemie who developed rare, deadly heart condition celebrates 1st birthday

A miracle UK baby who was born four months early, weighing the same as a loaf of bread, has beaten incredible odds to celebrate his first birthday.

Arley-James Hughes was so small that he had to be kept in a “sandwich bag” shortly after birth to mimic being inside his mom’s womb.

Entering the world at just 1 pound, he spent 153 days in a hospital as he battled a rare heart condition.

Doctors were so worried that they told mom Naomi Walker and her partner, Chris Hughes, 34, to make funeral plans.

“Arley has survived everything that’s been thrown at him, he’s a miracle,” Walker shared to SWNS.

The smiley tot is still on oxygen but is growing stronger by the day, thanks to an experimental drug.

On Tuesday, Arley-James celebrated his first birthday in Morecambe, England.

“I count my blessings every day,” said Walker, a cleaner who turns 36 this week. “I know he’s got a long way to go. He still needs support with breathing at the minute, but I’m just amazed at his incredible strength.”

Walker’s pregnancy had been fairly uneventful until she was admitted to the hospital a year ago with a urine condition and a chest infection.

After being transferred to another hospital, she realized that Arley-James was making his entrance four months earlier than anticipated.

“When I was on the toilet I felt a pressure dropdown,” Walker recalled. “It was very scary. I knew instantly, right at that moment, Jesus, he’s coming.”

Arley means “promise” in Hebrew. Walker said she gave Arley-James “a little cuddle,” and then it was off to the intensive care unit, his home for more than five months.

Arley-James suffered infections and was given blood transfusions and put on a ventilator. Just when he seemed to have turned a corner, he was diagnosed with the deadly heart condition fungal endocarditis at 4 weeks old.

“[Doctors] came in and said there was nothing more that we can do for him. Basically, make funeral arrangements,” Walker remembered. “It just floored me. I just ran out of the neonatal unit. It was possibly the worst news of my life.”

Mortality rates for the debilitating disease — which is the inflammation of the innermost lining of the heart — range from 10% to 75%.

Arley-James’ condition improved, however, after he received an unidentified trial drug.

A “consultant came in and said, ‘We have got this drug. It’s still pretty much in the trial process, do you want to try it?’” Walker recounted. “I said, ‘What have I got to lose?’ You’re telling me I need to make funeral arrangements or we can try a drug that possibly might save his life.”

Walker, who never left Arley-James’ side during his time in the hospital, believes the sound of her voice and her touch may have kept him going through his most difficult of days.

She took him home on July 23, 2023 — he still has a chronic lung disease but was able to spend his birthday on Tuesday eating cupcakes with his family.

“He’s just the most loving happy baby anyone could meet,” Walker gushed. “For someone who weighed 500 grams to put up the fight he has and to be so happy and smiley throughout it all, there are no words to describe how proud and amazed I am.”