Tui Mitsui , 8 , with his father , Chuck Mitsui .
A Heart to Help
TUI MITSUI IS AN ACTIVE KID , TACKLING EVERYTHING FROM OUTDOOR ADVENTURES TO ACTIVATING HIS VIVID IMAGINATION . “ He is very detailoriented , likes to skate or ride his bike , and loves reading ,“ said his mother , Zana Mitsui . The 8-year-old attacks his future goal — to be “ the world ‘ s first Jedi Mandalorian !“— with the same energy . And why shouldn ‘ t he ? He ‘ s been a fighter from the day he was born .
In 2013 , Chuck and Zana Mitsui were ready to start a family . Everything seemed to be going well until it was time for Zana to give birth . “ The midwife was here and when my water broke she said ‘ This doesn ‘ t look like clear fluid . We ‘ re going to the hospital ,‘“ Zana recalled .
When Tui was born , doctors saw more signs that something was wrong . He needed to be transferred to Kapi ‘ olani Medical Center for Women & Children .
“ When he was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , Tui was blue ,“ said Pediatric Cardiologist Dr . Andras Bratincsak . “ We knew immediately that the condition was serious .“ A heart echocardiogram confirmed what they saw . Tui had obstructive total anomalous pulmonary venous return ( TAPVR ), which meant the oxygen and blood flow to his heart were compromised . “ Basically the connections are messed up and if you don ‘ t operate on the patient quickly , they just cannot breathe ,“ Dr . Bratincsak said .
Tui needed an emergency surgery . “ It requires completely stopping the heart and operating on a heart that is a little bit bigger than a kukui nut ,“
10 INSPIRE | 2021