Meet John Michael Thornell

Rogers, Arkansas

When John Thornell was just 20 weeks in-utero, his parents were told their baby had unexplained fluid on his body, a condition known as hydrops fetalis.

Their unborn child was diagnosed with hydrops fetalis, a prenatal form of heart failure. After the diagnosis, Kelly and Brett began visiting Arkansas Children’s Hospital for tests and doctor’s visits. The ultrasounds showed that their baby had a sack of fluid around his heart that was weakening his heart and causing it to fail. At one point, they were given zero percent chance of survival. 

Because of a special series on ABC covering incredible stories happening at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, family and friends called and asked, “Is that where you are going to have the baby? That place is amazing!”  This brought the Thornell family much comfort.
Undiscouraged by the dire news, they prepared for baby John’s arrival. Several weeks later, on a return visit to Little Rock to monitor John’s progress, a cardiologist was performing an ultrasound of John’s heart and saw something astounding – the sack of fluid was gone.

“The doctors, not wanting to give us any false hope, said, ‘Don't take that as a positive,’” Kelly says. “They upped our chances of survival to 10 percent that day.”

The visits and the tests had prepared them for John’s delivery and treatment, which they knew would be difficult. The Thornells, who live in Rogers, decided to deliver John in Little Rock, to be as close to ACH as possible.

John was born in November 2002 and was immediately rushed to ACH, where he was placed on life support. Throughout his time at ACH, John was closely monitored. Although the sack of fluid around his heart was gone, he had more than a pound of excess fluid in his body that had to be removed. Doctors removed the fluid, and John was slowly weaned off of the oxygen ventilator.

“When we were at ACH, every staff member we encountered was amazing,” says Kelly. “They made us feel that our son was in the best place in the world.”

John was released from the hospital a month after he was born. His parents were overjoyed that their son had overcome everything, especially after being given such a terrible prognosis.

 “The staff and hospital environment gave us a feeling of hope.” says Brett.  “We are so thankful to live in Arkansas, and have access to the best children’s hospital in the world! We consider John to be a miracle baby, and ACH is a major part of his miraculous story.

John, now 6, has no permanent effects from his condition. He loves to play soccer and watch movies, and according to Kelly, he is funny, outgoing, determined and a little mischievous.