Walker Farrington, 7, is awaiting a heart transplant while living at Boston Children’s Hospital and staying active with sports
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Yankees players and coaches continue wearing Walker’s custom bracelets, spreading awareness for congenital heart disease and pediatric transplants
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Walker’s story has gone viral online, bringing his family support and connecting them with other heart warrior families
What started as a simple gesture from a 7-year-old boy waiting for a heart transplant has now touched baseball fans across the internet.
Walker Farrington — who is currently living at Boston Children's Hospital while awaiting a donor heart — recently went viral after gifting members of the New York Yankees custom red bracelets during a special visit with the team.
The bracelets read: “Walker the Heart Warrior, Bravely Waiting & Fighting Strong,” alongside a hand-drawn “W” with a heart created by Walker himself.
Now, several Yankees players and coaches have continued wearing them publicly in support of the young fan and his journey.
“I am so grateful to the Yankee organization for showing up for Walker in such a big way,” Walker’s mom,Nicole Farrington, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Walker was born with congenital heart defects and has undergone multiple surgeries and procedures throughout his life, including two open-heart surgeries. On April 29, he was officially added to the pediatric heart transplant waitlist after doctors determined his heart could no longer be repaired through additional surgeries.
The family is now preparing for what could be a 12- to 18-month wait for a donor heart while Walker remains inpatient at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Farrington says one of the most difficult parts has been reconciling how “normal” Walker often appeared outwardly while his condition quietly worsened behind the scenes.
“It was hard to wrap our heads around Walker living in the hospital for such a long time when he was thriving in school, living his normal life like any other 7-year-old,” Nicole says. “But his heart was telling a different story.”
Even while navigating the uncertainty of transplant life, Nicole says Walker continues filling his days with sports, activities and conversations with anyone he meets.
The 7-year-old participates in art studio programs, Seacrest Studios events and hospital activities while still keeping up with his love of baseball, golf, flag football and karate.
“He truly is an old soul and has an incredible amount of confidence within his little body,” Farrington says. “Despite all that Walker deals with on a daily basis, he handles it all without so much as a complaint.”
Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Farrington worked as a publicist and says she initially began documenting Walker’s transplant journey online in hopes of helping people better understand congenital heart disease and pediatric transplants.
She says she never expected the videos to resonate with so many people so quickly.
“Again, with my background in PR, I was hopeful [that] by sharing Walker's story we would bring about awareness, but the incredible support has been mind-blowing,” she says.
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As videos of Walker meeting Yankees players and gifting them bracelets spread across TikTok and other social media platforms, thousands of people began following his story and sending encouragement to the family.
According to Farrington, the Yankees’ support only continued growing after the visit. Soon, players including Ben Rice,Cam Schlittler, Will Warren,Max Friedand manager Aaron Boone were spotted wearing Walker’s bracelet during games.
Farrington says watching the team continue supporting her son has been emotional for the entire family.
“To see the Yankees continue to show their support for Walker and thinking of him and his motto of ‘We can do hard things’ means the world to us,” she says.
The viral response, she adds, has helped make an incredibly isolating experience feel far less lonely.
"Thanks for the reminder 'we can do hard things,' Walker. We all need that reminder from time to time," one user commented on the video.
“There is an army of people praying for Walker, praying for our family, and learning about CHD and what it means to be a heart warrior,” Nicole says. “All this support and messages will get us through the tough times.”
“I have been able to connect with so many other heart moms throughout this which has been such a blessing,” she adds. “This journey is so isolating.”
Nicole hopes that continuing to document life while waiting for a transplant helps people better understand the realities families face long after surgery.
“No one can wrap their heads around these heart warriors needing to live in the hospital for 12 to 18 months for a miracle heart,” she says.
Still, through every difficult moment, Walker continues leaning on the phrase that has become both his personal mantra and the family’s source of strength: “We can do hard things.”
“He has the ability to take everything in stride,” the mom says. “He lives his motto of ‘we can do hard things.’ ”
As Walker continues waiting for what his family calls his “miracle heart,” Nicole says the Yankees’ support — along with the thousands of strangers now following his journey online — has reminded them they are not facing it alone.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has sent us messages, thoughtful gifts to Walker, and prayed for us,” she says. “Thank you.”
Read the original article onPeople