YouTube stars Phil and Alex Congelliere reveal their unborn daughter has a congenital heart defect

Phil and Alex Congelliere have revealed that their unborn daughter has the same congenital heart defect that he was born with after years of struggling with infertility. 

In an emotional video shared on their YouTube channel last week, the couple documented Alex’s doctor’s appointment, including the moment they learned their baby girl has atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD).   

While waiting for the results of the fetal echocardiogram, Phil, 32, told Alex, 32, he was ‘sorry,’ and broke down in tears, saying: ‘I don’t want to have to go through what my parents went through.’

  

Devastating: Phil and Alex Congelliere have revealed their unborn daughter has atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD), a congenital heart birth defect 

Nightmare: They announced the heartbreaking news in an emotional video that they posted on their YouTube channel last week, In the clip, they documented Alex's doctor's appointment

Nightmare: They announced the heartbreaking news in an emotional video that they posted on their YouTube channel last week, In the clip, they documented Alex’s doctor’s appointment

Their worse fears were confirmed when they were told their unborn baby has the same congenital heart defect he has. 

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, ‘AVSD is a congenital heart defect in which there are holes between the chambers of the heart, and the valves that control blood flow between the chambers may not be formed correctly, causing blood to flow where it normally should not.’  

After learning the devastating news, Phil said they are going to need the same ‘miracle’ his parents had with him. 

‘It’s gut-wrenching,’ he said. ‘It’s exactly what I had, and we thought all genetic screening and everything had ruled this out. It didn’t. 

Looking back: Phil (pictured) was born with the same congenital heart defect 32 years ago. He admitted he didn't want to have to go through the same suffering his parents went through

Looking back: Phil (pictured) was born with the same congenital heart defect 32 years ago. He admitted he didn’t want to have to go through the same suffering his parents went through 

Love: The couple's adopted daughters Kinsley Grace, four, and Callie Jo, three, cuddled Alex after her heartbreaking doctor's appointment

Love: The couple’s adopted daughters Kinsley Grace, four, and Callie Jo, three, cuddled Alex after her heartbreaking doctor’s appointment 

‘It does feel like our journey has been filled with things that have tested us and challenged us, and it feels like it’s gonna be almost impossible here.’

Phill called it the ‘death of a dream’ as Alex sobbed in the background.   

‘[I’m] heartbroken that this little girl is gonna have to go through what I went through,’ he added. ‘This is our worst-case scenario. If we had any fear, this was it.’

The couple has been documenting their infertility journey on their YouTube channel for years. They welcomed their daughters Kinsley Grace, four, and Callie Jo, three, via adoption.

Hard to handle: Phil and Alex agreed the day they heard the news was one of the worst days of their lives

Hard to handle: Phil and Alex agreed the day they heard the news was one of the worst days of their lives 

Suffering: A week after sharing their emotional vlog, Phil took to Instagram to open up about his heartache following the diagnosis, saying he is 'broken about it'

Suffering: A week after sharing their emotional vlog, Phil took to Instagram to open up about his heartache following the diagnosis, saying he is ‘broken about it’ 

In 2019, they sold most of their belongings and moved into an RV that they have been driving around the country with their children.

Phil and Alex were on the road in November when they announced that she is ‘miraculously pregnant through IVF.’  

A week after sharing their emotional vlog, Phil took to Instagram to open up about his heartache following the diagnosis. 

‘It’s been a while since I’ve shared my heart with you. Sadly, I’ve shared my actual heart with our daughter to be. In 10 weeks or so, she will be born with my same congenital heart defect, AVSD,’ he captioned a photo of himself with his wife and daughters. 

‘I’ve been broken about it for a few weeks. I was shocked and heartbroken…pun intended. I’ve been having a difficult time processing this,’ he admitted. ‘The odds of this happening are unknown, yet, while it feels like a 1 in a million chance, it also feels like it was meant to be. We can and will get through this. I’m so thankful for the last year of adventures in our RV. 

Change of pace: In 2019, they sold most of their belongings and moved into an RV that they have been driving around the country with their children

Change of pace: In 2019, they sold most of their belongings and moved into an RV that they have been driving around the country with their children

Announcement: Phil and Alex, who have been candid about their fertility struggles, were on the road in November when they announced that she is 'miraculously pregnant through IVF'

Announcement: Phil and Alex, who have been candid about their fertility struggles, were on the road in November when they announced that she is ‘miraculously pregnant through IVF’

‘It might be a long while before we take another trip together,’ he added. ‘So, for the time being, I’ll look back at pictures and videos of the adventures we were blessed to have as we stay positive, remain hopeful, and prepare for a new normal of life with a NICU Baby. ‘

Last week, Alex posted a photo of Phil in the hospital as an infant, writing: ‘Baby girl wants to be just like her daddy. Exactly like her daddy. His heart and all.’

She explained that her husband was born with a congenital heart defect and also had a ductal dependent coarctation of the aorta, meaning his aorta was too narrow to adequately pump blood to the body.  

‘The hardest part of his story was he went home as a “healthy” newborn and came back into the hospital 8 days later blue and in heart failure,’ she explained. ‘I am thankful for the advancement of medicine over the last 30 years. I have seen the hard crash but amazing recovery of cardiac babies. 

‘I’m trying to cope with our new reality. I just still can’t believe this is happening,’ she admitted. ‘I can’t begin to thank each and every one of you for your love, support, and prayers. I am still praying for a miracle but mentally getting ready for what’s ahead.’

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