That congenital condition was not surprising when Lizaida Morales’ daughter was born with a heart defect. It had been detected before she was born, and that diagnosis saved her life. Sophia underwent open-heart surgery, a six-hour operation, at 3 days of age. “So, every day I’m reminded of not only how blessed I am to have her here,” the Red Lion resident said, “but also how far we’ve come with science, research, and medical advancements.” She told the story about Sophia at an American Heart Association event, and it was well received.