‘Life is wonderful’: Former congressman, wife welcome child with Down syndrome

You may remember that Wisconsin’s Sean Duffy quit Congress a few weeks back, because his wife was expecting a child who, he announced, “will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition.”

Now, an update: 

Sean Duffy and Rachel Campos-Duffy’s ninth child is still in the hospital, but is doing well a week after her birth.

Duffy, the former U.S. representative for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District, and Campos-Duffy, a television personality and frequent commentator on “Fox & Friends,” welcomed the baby girl late in the evening on Sept. 30, after an emergency delivery.

Campos-Duffy took to Facebook Monday night to share a photo of the newborn, Valentina StellaMaris Duffy, and update her followers on the baby’s condition.

Campos-Duffy shared that the girl was born with two holes in her heart and valves that need to be fixed via open-heart surgery in three to four months, and that she was born with an extra chromosome, meaning she has Down syndrome.

“That extra chromosome certainly made her EXTRA cute,” Campos-Duffy wrote in her post. “Life is wonderful!!”

Prayers for all concerned. Read on. 

Rachel Campos-Duffy wrote on Facebook:

Meet Valentina StellaMaris Duffy!

She was born last week, one month before her due date. She is doing great, though still in the NICU until she learns to eat on her own. I’m home now, trying to recover from my first C-section (hats off to all the c-section moms out there – I had no idea!) and working hard with my breast pump to keep up with her growing appetite. When we visit with her at the hospital, the kids fight over who can hold her – I don’t blame them! She’s the sweetest, most perfect angel we have ever seen.

Valentina was born with a heart defect (2 holes in the heart and valves that need to be fixed). She will need surgery in 3-4 months. As we suspected, Valentina was also born with an extra chromosome, which means she also has Downs Syndrome. That extra chromosome certainly made her EXTRA cute. Life is wonderful!!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for Valentina all these months – your prayers were never felt more than in the crazy hours before her emergency birth. A special thank you to Dr. Merrill, Dr. Bell, Dr. Modi and the amazing team of nurses and specialists at Aspirus OB & NICU in Wausau, Wisconsin. They are a reminder that America is still home to the best and most caring medical professionals in the world! Now, in addition to being “Lady Freedom”, our daughter, Paloma, wants to be a NICU nurse. What a noble profession!