by A popular social media influencer is asking for prayers after sharing that her infant daughter suffered a cardiac arrest and is now on full life support, facing a critical and uncertain road ahead.
Estee Williams, known online for promoting a “tradwife” lifestyle, revealed that her 3-month-old daughter, Estelle, went into cardiac arrest overnight earlier this week and required nearly an hour of life-saving intervention before being stabilized in the hospital.
Baby Rushed to Hospital After Sudden Medical Crisis
Williams shared the update on Instagram, explaining that her daughter stopped breathing and turned blue in the middle of the night, prompting an emergency rush to the hospital.
“My little Estelle went into cardiac arrest in the middle of the night,” Williams wrote. “Chest compressions were done for 47 minutes and she’s now on full life support (ECMO).”
She described the coming days as especially frightening as doctors determine the next steps in her daughter’s care.
Infant Diagnosed With Heart Defects Shortly After Birth
According to family updates, Estelle — often referred to as “Baby E” — was diagnosed with congenital heart defects just 14 hours after birth on September 5. Since then, she has faced repeated medical complications and has already undergone multiple procedures in her short life.
In the 24 hours leading up to the cardiac arrest, Estelle experienced dangerous spikes in lactate levels, a sign of poor oxygen delivery to the body. Despite medication to raise her oxygen levels, her condition deteriorated rapidly overnight.
Family members said her oxygen levels dropped into the 60s, and she lost her pulse, triggering the prolonged resuscitation efforts.
Placed on ECMO Life Support
Following the cardiac arrest, doctors placed Estelle on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), a form of advanced life support that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs.
Her paternal grandmother, Holly Nielsen, wrote in a GoFundMe update that ECMO helped stabilize Estelle’s lactate levels from 13 down to 3, though doctors ideally aim for levels under 2.
On Christmas Eve, Nielsen shared cautiously hopeful news, saying Estelle’s brain function appeared normal despite the nearly hour-long CPR.
“Baby Estelle is fighting with everything her tiny body has,” she wrote.
History of Open-Heart Surgery
Estelle’s medical journey has included multiple open-heart surgeries, including a major procedure on November 20, when she was just 11 weeks old.
During that surgery, doctors discovered an extremely large and rare Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) measuring 30 millimeters, along with a second VSD in a difficult-to-reach location between major arteries.
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Surgeons had to cut into her heart muscle to attach a patch and placed her on a heart-lung bypass machine for nearly four hours, an especially long time for an infant.
Her grandmother described the recovery as “long and fragile,” noting that many unknowns remain.
Next Step: Mechanical Heart Support
Doctors have now determined that Estelle will need a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD), commonly known as a Berlin Heart, which will help support her heart function.
The device is intended to keep her stable until she is approved for the heart transplant waiting list. Family members say the wait for a donor heart could take three to six months.
They have referred to the future donor as Estelle’s potential “angel hero heart.”
Fundraiser Grows as Family Faces Mounting Medical Costs
A GoFundMe organized by family members has raised nearly $23,000, aimed at helping cover overwhelming medical expenses. Williams is a full-time stay-at-home mother, and supporters say the family is facing both emotional and financial strain.
Williams, who has hundreds of thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok, has been widely known for advocating traditional gender roles and staying home to raise her family.
In the wake of the medical emergency, followers and supporters have flooded her accounts with messages of prayer and encouragement.
A Critical Week Ahead
Doctors say the coming days will be decisive as they monitor Estelle’s response to life support and prepare for mechanical heart assistance.
For now, the family is focused on one goal: keeping their baby alive and stable long enough for the next lifesaving step.
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