Bryar Autumn Thomas
It is often those among us with the strongest wills who end up fighting the most difficult battles. At birth, Bryar was diagnosed with Transposition of the great vessels (TGV), which is a group of congenital heart defects that involve defects in the structure of the heart’s blood vessels. She had her first heart surgery at 11 days old; two more surgeries followed.
Each surgery boosted her body’s oxygen efficiency a little more, and today, at the age of 10, she is at a healthy level. However, her years without a properly oxygenated brain have left her with cerebral palsy. At first her parents, Adam and Cassandra Thomas of Farmington, were unsure if Bryar would ever be able to do anything on her own.
Bryar has surprised everyone with her progress. She can sit up, crawl, talk and walk with assistance. Doctors say she is at the cognitive level of a six-year-old, and she learns more every day.
Her mother Cassandra says, “She has a great sense of humor and is very sassy and strong-willed.”