Little Tony makes a big impression

Parenting is full of firsts.

Their first breath. Their first step. Their first full night of sleep. Their first holiday. Making it to their first birthday feels like a triumph.

Anthony and Carrie Daly became first-time parents 10 years ago when Anthony Daly IV, aka "Little Tony," was born 14 weeks early.

Under three pounds and only 26 weeks along, Tony had a fight ahead of him.

His parents didn't know for sure that he'd grow up to be the fourth grader he is today. All they knew was that he was born with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — when an opening that allows a mother's oxygenated blood to bypass the lungs and flow directly into her child's heart does not close as it should after birth, inhibiting growth — and his intestines weren't getting enough blood flow.

Tony's doctors knew that they needed to take action.

The standard options at the time were placing a baby on respiratory support to see if the defect sealed on its own or conducting a risky surgical procedure to close the PDA. But Tony's family found hope in the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder — a minimally invasive treatment for PDA closure in premature infants that in 2015 was becoming available only through a clinical trial.

So Tony's next "first" would be as patient zero for the use of the Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder for PDA closure in preemies. "This had never been done before. We had to base all of our faith and trust in his doctor, and we did," Carrie said.

And sure enough, Tony received the tiny Piccolo device in his heart.

"Instantly after the procedure, his color changed," Anthony said. "Every worry that we had started to subside."

His growth chart steadily increased. His care team let his parents know that he didn't need to see them for regular check-ins anymore. Tony grew into the happy, healthy 10-year-old he is now.

He's still growing. And Tony's Piccolo is still there, functioning as he experiences more "firsts" like his first days of school, first baseball and soccer games, and first moments with his baby brother, Colson.

The Daly family joined Abbott HeartMates in 2024, when Little Tony was one of the first 11 heart health champions drafted to the inaugural HeartMates team. And now he’s continuing to inspire others alongside his fellow HeartMates and Damar Hamlin in Hallmark Channel’s “The More the Merrier.”

So, Little Tony, you spent two days in Buffalo shooting the movie with Damar and the other HeartMates. What was your favorite part of that whole experience?

Damar took us down to the field when we were done filming, and I got to throw him some passes. That was really cool!

And Carrie, what would a community like Abbott HeartMates have meant to your family while you were in the most serious part of Little Tony’s heart health journey?

Even though we had a wonderful medical team, as new parents, we still felt alone. The support of the Abbott Heartmates community would have given us confidence and reassurance.

You two came out the other side of one of the most frightening and stressful experiences parents can have. What message, lessons, or words of encouragement would you offer to parents who are in a similar situation with their own kids?

We are so grateful to be given the opportunity to have a less invasive option for our child. That is what any parent would want. The life that Tony has is a testament to the amazing inventions that brilliant people have made possible. Tony lives life to the fullest, without any reservations, thanks to the device that was created to make it so.  

The Abbott HeartMates program is a community established by Abbott to offer support to people impacted by cardiovascular conditions, along with their families and caregivers. The program enables participants to share stories and receive emotional support as well as connect with others going through similar heart health journeys. Visit the Abbott HeartMates hub for more information.