Bristow Boy Receives Special Welcome Home After Heart Transplant

A Bristow family is back home after their baby boy received a heart transplant at a St. Louis hospital earlier this month.

They were gone for nearly five months, and Oklahoma’s own gave them a very special welcome home.

He’s less than a year old, but Waylon Gower has been through a lot. At just four months old, his parents noticed something wasn't quite right and took him to the doctor. Waylon's mother, Christen, said she'll never forget when doctors told them what was wrong with her baby boy.

"We figured out it was actually his heart that was causing all the problems that he had,” said Christen.

Waylon was quickly flown to Dallas where he had heart surgery. Doctors used a catheter to expand his heart valve, but it didn't work.

"We were home for a couple more weeks then we had to be taken to St. Louis by a plane," said Christen.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital put Waylon on a heart transplant waiting list and on January 11th, his parents finally got the miracle they were praying for. Waylon recovered quickly and last night when his family arrived back home, they got a special surprise.

Friends and family met them at the Turner Turnpike gate to celebrate their return and Bristow police escorted them all the way home.

"What was going through your mind when you saw them do that," I asked.

"It was very heartwarming to know that the community cared about Waylon and showed us their support," Christen said.

She said it was hard being away from home for so long, but Waylon is now back home in the loving arms of his two older sisters.

"They were all over him last night and glad that they were able to sit in bed with him and play with him on the floor," Christen said.

Waylon's mom said because she hasn't been able to work throughout his treatment, finances are a big issue.

You can donate to their GoFundMe here or bring money to the Community Bank in Bristow. Just mention the Waylon Gower Benefit Fund.