On a September day in 2012, life changed suddenly for our family.

That’s when we learned our 3-month-old son, Jack, needed open heart surgery for a congenital defect.

We had no idea anything was wrong when we took Jack for his checkup. Even when our pediatrician referred us to Golisano Children’s Hospital at UVM Health for a possible heart murmur, we didn’t expect what came next.

We found out that Jack had a ventricular septal defect — a hole between his heart chambers. Left untreated, he likely would not live past his 20s.

It’s hard to describe what you feel as a parent in that moment. But after the shock, you put on your shell and find strength. You do what is needed.

We endured months of medication, ambulance rides and waiting. Jack’s surgery was postponed twice due to illness before he finally had the procedure in February 2013. That was the longest day of my life. I’ll never forget seeing him after the surgery, hooked up to so many machines.

Today, Jack is thriving: He’s a healthy, active 13-year-old, and the Kevlar patch in his heart lets him live a normal life. He plays sports and practices martial arts. We are a happy, and lucky, family of five — Jack and our two daughters.

But many families are still going through similar things. That's why my wife, Katie, and I started an organization called VT Cardiac Kids: To support parents by helping them connect and ask questions, and to let kids be kids.

Our first event was a breakfast with Santa in 2014. Now, we’re a registered nonprofit, hosting outings to baseball and hockey games, apple orchards and the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory.

Our families come from Vermont, upstate New York and New Hampshire. Some kids have been through multiple heart surgeries, with more ahead.

It’s so important for families to know they’re not alone. That connection is the biggest thing.

Michael Towle is Chief Financial Officer at University of Vermont Health – Home Health & Hospice. He has been with the health system for 12 years.