Above: Baby Rute, the one-year old girl from Ethiopia, who
came to the U.S. during the summer with severe congenital
heart condition is flying home to her parents after recovering
from heart surgery.
JACKSONVILLE, FL — Baby Rute babbles, crawls and coos like any other baby girl who is months away from her second birthday.
“She just charms you and makes you love her in two seconds.”
For the past five months she’s been a bundle of baby-ness in the home of Dr. Jose Ettedgui and his wife, Hilda, founders of Patrons of the Heart, a foundation that helps underprivileged children with heart problems in developing countries.
Saturday afternoon, Baby Rute is flying home to her biological parents who couldn’t make the trip to the United States. She returns home with a stronger heart, the result of two surgeries in Jacksonville. Hilda and Jose Ettedgui are going with her.
“She’s become part of our family and we really would like to meet her parents and to be able to stay in touch so that’s why we would like to take her,” said Hilda Ettedgui as Baby Rute climbed and crawled around her on the couch of their Southside home.
Because of the bond the three have forged here, Mrs. Ettedgui admits the handoff is going to be extremely difficult.
“It’s very hard for all of us,” said Hilda Ettedgui, who’s from Venezuela. “She’s my baby right now.”
Her first word at the Ettedgui home: “Dada.” The man Baby Rute affectionately calls “Dada” is a pediatric cardiologist and she’s his joy, too.
“She hears the keys at the door and just sprints to the door,” added Hilda Ettedgui.
The couple plans to stay in Baby Rute’s village for a few days to get to know her family and help other children in need.
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Ethiopian ‘Baby Rute’ To Undergo Life Saving Heart Treatment At Wolfson
By: Kyle Meenan
Friday, August 8, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, FL – Doctors at Wolfson Children’s Hospital are working to save the life of an infant girl from Ethiopia.
Baby ‘Rute’ arrived in Jacksonville Thursday night after a 17-hour flight from Africa into New York, followed by the flight to the First Coast.
She was accompanied by Hilda Ettedgui, the wife of Pediatric Cardiac Surgeon Jose Ettedgui, and co-founder of the children’s foundation, “Patrons of the Hearts.”
Baby Rute has a heart condition that would likely take her life in the coming months or years. Despite her 15-month age, the child weighs just 15-pounds. Read More.
Dear Dr. Ettedgui and Patron’s of the Heart ,
My name is Marianne Mallory. I am an adoptive mom and am really worried about a little girl in Ethiopia who needs to be adopted very soon or it is my understanding she may die. Her name is Selamawit and is 2 yrs 3 months old. She has tricuspid atresia with VSD and ASD? I think those are the terms. I understand that without treatment she will die. I would love to bring her home , but expenses are high in adopting from another country. We have some money saved for the adoption but are extremely worried about the two procedures she will need. It is my understanding that she will need the Glenn procedure and the Fontan procedure. Can your foundation help us with this little girl? We cannot proceed with her adoption unless we can get some kind of grant or possibly help with medical care after she gets home. I know time is not on her side, so a speedy response would be so appreciated. Any help or advice would mean so much to us. Thank you!
She is the most beautiful litttle girl you have ever seen ! She deserves to live and thrive in a safe environment and have a forever family!
Marianne Mallory
mpa@safelink.net
208 678-2320