11 families thankful for heart transplants this year

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This Thanksgiving, 11 area families are thankful for new hearts that saved the lives of their children. It's the most heart transplants ever performed in a single year at Levine Children's Hospital.

"We never knew he had a heart problem," said Abigail Dills, 2-year-old Ryan's mother.

"The left side of his heart that would typically function at 50 percent was working at five percent," said Allyson Robinson, 2-year-old Travis' mother.

Ryan and Travis needed new hearts.

"He was a ticking time bomb. He could have never woke up," said Dills.

"There were times when I wanted to kick the doctors out of the room because I didn't like what they were telling us," said Robinson.

Abigail and Allyson said they didn't know if their little boys would live to see their second Thanksgiving.

Then the day came. The one that both mothers say they'll never forget.

"We had just went to bed. She was like, 'this is Jennifer and we found Ryan a heart.' I said, 'what?' He heard it, she jumped over the couch, and the kids are asleep like nothing happened. We were crying for joy," said Ryan's mother, Abigail Dills.

"I was here at the hospital when I got the news. Face to face. I will never forget that day," said Travis' mom, Allyson Robinson.

This Thanksgiving, these families have a lot to be thankful for.

"We would all like to say thank you for the donor family. We appreciate them for whoever and rest in peace for the little donor from May 16, 2016," said Dills.

"I always think about the donor family that lost their child. From me to that mom, thank you," said Robinson.