KALAMAZOO, Mich. — If a name dictates a personality, Consuelo Shank knew exactly what she was doing.
“He’s definitely lived up to his name. He’s a fighter," said Consuelo. “The strongest little baby I've ever known — person, honestly."
The little man at the heart of it all is Consuelo's son, 15-month-old Maverick.
“He motivates me," she said.
Those pinchable cheeks were once covered by gauze and feeding tubes.
“It was a complete surprise," said Consuelo. “We thought it was indigestion, we thought he was just getting over a little cold."
The Shanks brought him in to the doctor when he was six months old. They left with news no parent would ever want to hear.
“They told me his heart was enlarged," she said. "That’s when it all began.”
The hope of a quick check-up was rushed out the door — alongside Maverick.
“He was in heart failure," she said. "It was really scary."
He was sent in an ambulance to Bronson Hospital. From there, he was airlifted to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, where he spent the next month in a hospital room.
Now over a year old, he's out of the hospital and growing like any other child, but Consuelo knows he is anything but.
“That's why it's important to celebrate him because it is something that he'll be dealing with his entire life," she said.
Their child will forever struggle with his heart condition. But he's now been given the chance to become a role model, even before his second year.
“I want people to know who he is. I want it to generate conversations about hearts, not just in babies, but everyone," said Consuelo.
The American Heart Association stepped in to help in this quest. They've selected little Maverick to as their honoree in their Kalamazoo walk this year.
The 15-month-old will lead his town on a walk, after just learning how.
“He's going to be basically advocating and encouraging people to move and walk and have a healthy heart," Consuelo said.
If you would like to register for the walk, or donate to Maverick's team, click here.
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