A Baby, a Helicopter, and the Start of Heartfull Homes

Al and Olivia had already been running Florida group rentals since 2010 when their second daughter, Irie, was born in September 2023 with HLHS, a congenital heart defect that never showed up on any scan. Within 40 hours she was life-flighted out, and by late October she was listed for a transplant, a journey People covered in an exclusive feature. Al and Olivia relocated to Gainesville with no return date, paused most of their business, and learned firsthand what it costs to need somewhere to stay near a hospital with no idea how long the stay will last. Irie got her new heart in 2024 and is now a thriving two-year-old.

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That's why a portion of every Heartfull Homes stay funds housing for families going through post-transplant recovery, the support Al and Olivia wished they'd had. You can read Irie's full story or support her family directly on their GoFundMe page.

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