When 3-year-old Ellie woke up after her 30-hour heart surgery, she only had two words:
 
“Super Ellie.” 

She was referring to the new poster across from her hospital bed, showing her smiling in a superhero uniform.

“Super Ellie” was an affirmation that Ellie’s parents, Kristin and Justin, repeated to her throughout her heart journey, which included years of procedures and appointments. Her uncle created the poster to show Ellie how her family saw her. 

“He said, ‘I want you to put this on the door, so when she wakes up, she knows that she is a real-life superhero,’” Kristin said. 

Ellie got the message. When she opened her eyes, she immediately noticed the poster. 

“It was just miraculous,” Justin said. “Those were her first words after surgery.”  

Super Ellie's Origin Story

Ellie’s care began in January 2023, when she was born in the Chicago suburbs. 

“When I delivered, she was blue,” Kristin said. 

Doctors at their home hospital determined Ellie had a serious cardiac complication that had been missed in initial fetal scans. The family was immediately referred to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago for their expertise in complex heart conditions. 

“The transport team was such a godsend,” Kristin said. “Right off the bat, I thought, ‘Okay, I’m making the right decision.’” 

At the Lurie Children’s Heart Center, Ellie was officially diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs).  

About Tetralogy of Fallot

Babies born with TOF have several heart defects. These include a hole in the heart, a misaligned aorta, thickened heart muscle and — in cases of pulmonary atresia — a blockage near the valve leading to the lungs.
 
In severe cases, the body forms abnormal blood vessels called MAPCAs to reroute blood to the lungs. However, these vessels are fragile and imperfect substitutes that create risks of their own. 

Together, these complications severely limit oxygen in the body and can be life‑threatening. 

Managing a Complex Heart

In the first three years of her life, Ellie underwent multiple cardiac catheterizations, heart stents and balloon angioplasties to strengthen and grow her arteries. But these procedures were managing her symptoms, not resolving them. 

If her condition continued to worsen, Ellie would likely one day need both a heart and lung transplant. But a highly specialized surgery could prevent that. 

Pulmonary artery reconstruction (PAR) is a complex procedure that can repair or reconstruct the blood vessels responsible for carrying blood from the heart to the lungs. At the time, only a handful of surgeons in the nation could perform the surgery — and no hospitals in the Midwest offered it.  

PAR Program Brings New Hope

But in August 2025, news from the Lurie Children’s Heart Center brought hope. 

“We were told that Lurie Children’s was hiring a new surgeon,” Kristin said. 

That surgeon was Dr. Elisabeth Martin, a leading expert in pediatric PAR surgery. She was appointed as Director of the new Pulmonary Artery Reconstruction Program at Lurie Children’s, helping create one of the few dedicated PAR programs for children in the country.  

“I joined a team that is excited about innovation,” Dr. Martin said. “Not many hospitals or centers tackle this type of pathology due to its complexity and rarity. But with dedicated specialists, these children can avoid transplantation.” 

Together, those specialists spoke with Ellie’s family to explain the benefits of PAR. While the idea of such a complex surgery was overwhelming, the possibility of resolving Ellie’s condition felt life changing. 

“They made me feel like I could do it,” Kristin said. “I always had a team that I could lean on.” 

Surgery Day: Science Meets Superhero Strength

Just two days after her third birthday, Super Ellie went in for her biggest battle yet. She was placed on a cardiac bypass machine, which temporarily took over the function of Ellie’s heart and lungs during surgery. The perfusionist and cardiac anesthesia team monitored her continually to ensure her comfort and make sure her vitals stayed strong. 

Over the course of 15 hours, Dr. Martin, Dr. Michael Mongé and a dedicated surgical team carefully worked to repair Ellie's heart and reconstruct her circulation. The total time in the operating room, from preparation to recovery, was 30 hours. Ellie’s parents were given updates every step of the way. 

“I knew that it wasn't just an automated message,” Kristin said. “They were telling me things like, ‘We have her baby by her. She has her pillow and she’s comfy.’ If they could send me a visual through words, they were trying.” 

After surgery, Ellie recovered at Lurie Children’s Regenstein Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), where a team of cardiac intensive care physicians, nurses and specialists were ready to support Ellie’s healing. The family was told that recovery could take anywhere from three weeks to three months. 

“You have to know my daughter,” Kristin said. “She doesn't let anything take her down.” 

Ellie was out of the hospital in just 10 days.
 
“On the ninth day, she started walking and wanted to run,” Kristin said. “The nurse was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa!’ They were just amazed by her.” 

Super Ellie's Triumph

Less than a month later, Ellie was back in preschool and running around with friends like any other toddler.  

“She can run laps around each of us,” said Dr. Amy Lay, Associate Medical Director of the CCU.  

Her first post-surgery appointment revealed that Ellie’s outward energy reflected how she was feeling inside, too. The results revealed near-normal oxygen levels, the best Ellie had ever experienced. Her parents described it as “breathtaking.”

“Dr. Lay had said, ‘I'm going to make you cry today, but happy tears.’” Kristin said. 

Through it all, Super Ellie is always celebrated. Her parents plan to frame the poster, which Ellie frequently asks to see. 

“She’ll say, ‘Mommy, can I see my superhero?’” Kristin said. 

She constantly makes her family proud with her confidence and boundless energy. With her newly reconstructed heart from Dr. Martin, Ellie is living life to the fullest.  

“This woman is doing wonders for children,” Kristin said. “You know, there's just no words for that. If it weren't for her, there are probably so many kids that wouldn't be here.”