Jessica Wright has opened up about the devastating moment she learned that her two-year-old son, Presley, is suffering from a life-threatening heart condition.
Jessica and her husband, William Lee-Kemp, welcomed their son in May 2022.
Jessica described Presley as “everything and more,” saying their world felt complete when he was born.
But less than two years later, their joy turned into heartbreak.
“The world just stopped moving for me,” Jessica recalled, describing the moment doctors diagnosed Presley with Bicuspid Aortic Valve — a congenital heart disease affecting about one percent of people.
In an exclusive interview, Jessica spoke candidly just days before hosting her first Have A Heart Gala, an event aimed at raising funds for children’s cardiac and respiratory care charity The Brompton Fountain.
“It’s been tough,” she admitted, reflecting on the emotional toll of the past year.
Jessica explained that Presley’s condition was first suspected during what they thought was a routine check-up for a chest infection.
Doctors detected a heart murmur, initially reassuring the family that it was likely harmless but recommending further evaluation.
A month later, during a follow-up appointment, their worst fears were confirmed.
“We just sat there and you could see from the doctor’s face that he was about to tell us something really big and life-changing,” Jessica said.
“I just dreaded what was going to come out of his mouth, and then, lo and behold, the words ‘open heart surgery’ came out.”
Jessica described the moment as overwhelming.
“I just remember sitting in between my mum and my husband and thinking, ‘I’m going to fall on the floor’. I couldn’t even hold myself up.”
She admitted that accepting Presley’s diagnosis and upcoming surgery is an ongoing emotional process, saying, “I’m not sure we ever will fully get used to it.”
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