The infant daughter, Susan Anne Catherine Torres, born to brain dead Susan Rollin Torres, has died. The tiny girl’s health failed rapidly over the weekend after emergency surgery to repair a perforated intestine.
The girl’s mother was maintained on life support after suffering a severe stroke in May after cancer had spread to her brain. The baby, born prematurely last month, was otherwise healthy and given a fair chance of survival. She died of heart failure Sunday at Children's National Medical Center in Washington.
“After the efforts of this summer to bring her into the world, this is obviously a devastating loss for the Torres and Rollin families,” said Justin Torres, Susan’s brother-in-law, according to a Fox News report. “We wish to thank all the people who sustained us in prayer over the past 17 weeks. It was our fondest wish that we could have been able to share Susan's homecoming with the world.”
Susan’s husband Jason had spent the months since his wife’s stroke at her bedside until the baby’s birth August 2. Susan Jr. was born prematurely, at 26 weeks. Jason also has a two year old son, Peter.
In a heart rending email today to LifeSiteNews reporter John Jalsevac, Justin Torres father, Sonny Torres, wrote, “John I wanted to let you know that baby Susan went home last night at 12:01 September 12. She died in her father’s arms. John, she fought for every last beat of her little heart. The doctors unhooked her monitors and handed her to Jason and every time he talked to her, her heart would pick up and she wanted to live! But the damage to her organs was past the doctors powers to heal.”
“All of the family was at Jason’s side at the end. John, I know he is my son, but I must say he is the most impressive man I have ever known. Please thank all who have kept our families in their prayers.”
So far, the Susan Torres Fund has collected $600,000 of the approximately $1 million in medical costs incurred during the pregnancy and when Susan Jr. was in intensive care. To donate to the fund go to www.susantorresfund.org.
(This article courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)
