The gift of life comes in many ways and for one young Indianapolis girl it came in the form of a multi-organ transplant.
Most mornings these days, Mady Guzman Maya is on her chromebook doing her fourth-grade school work remotely.
But when Mady came into the world, she was diagnosed a rare defect known as Hirschprung's disease. The condition affects a person's small and large intestines.
She had her first intestinal transplant at just 9 months old.
Mady's mother, Itzel, tells WRTV they didn't think she would survive that first surgery so they held her baptism right there in the hospital.
It took, but when Mady was just two years old, her body rejected that first transplant.
Then on April 26, 2016, the 4-year-old underwent surgery for a multi-organ transplant including her stomach, small and large intestines, pancrease and liver.
It was a special gift of life for Mady from the family of a child who had passed away in Montana.
"I think its sweet they were kind enough to give someone else's organs to me," Mady said.
"There are no words to thank someone for the gift given to my daughter," Itzel said. "Because of their decision, she's healthy and happy."
The Mayas have been in awe with their daughter's drive to live and it's led them to change their own views on organ donations.
"I feel people deserve a second chance basically to live," Itzel said. "Organ donations changed my family, my mom is an organ donor, my brother and my close family."
"You are helping someone else live longer and have a happy life," Mady said.
This week marked six years since Mady's multi-organ transplant and she'll be celebrating by taking the Holy Sacrament of First Communion this weekend.
The family tells WRTV they are thankful to IU Health and Dr. Richard Mangus.
IU says Mangus has performed more than 250 multi-organ transplants.
