SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- For the Quinto family, it’s the simple moments that mean the most to the family of three.
From the moment Stephen and Annemarie Quinto found out they were expecting a baby girl, happiness was written all over their faces.
Until they got a call after a routine ultrasound.
Annemarie said, “Our baby … her heart was enlarged. Her heart was as big as her chest, and they didn't know why yet.”
After several rounds of testing and seeing specialist after specialist, their baby girl was diagnosed with alpha thalassemia -- a blood disorder that reduces the production of hemoglobin which carries oxygen to cells.
Stephen said, “The chances of surviving was very nil, and that's what professionals were thinking … ‘Oh no, this wasn’t good.’ So, you know, it was disbelief, but we leaned on our faith and each other and we're going to do what we can to give her the best chance.”
And that’s exactly what they did. Baby Sevey required regular blood transfusions while in the womb, leading all the way up to her birth.
The road only got more difficult after that, as Sevey developed issues with her liver.
“As new parents and parents of a daughter with this condition, we didn't know what to expect, if she was going to survive even,” said Annemarie.
The family was then connected with a support group, meeting other families facing the same medical challenges.
Slowly, things started to turn around for Sevey, and now the Quintos said she’s reaching milestone after milestone.
“She's full of surprises and she's a gift every day and we cherish her and love her to death,” said Stephen.
