3-Year-Old California Boy Leaves Boston Without Having Rare Heart Surgery

BOSTON (CBS) - A California family who traveled to Boston for a one million dollar operation to save a three-year-old boy's heart, is leaving without having the surgery.

Noah Connally's mom Niccole told WBZ-TV Wednesday night they feel "sad, confused, and completely exhausted," to now be returning to Orange County without this life-changing operation for their son.

The Connallys arrived to Boston Children's Hospital Wednesday morning as planned, for a long day of pre-op procedures and testing. Noah was sedated for an EKG, MRI, echocardiogram and a cardiac catheterization. Unfortunately, the images and test results presented some variables that made this rare, complicated surgery seem like perhaps less of a solution than previously thought.

After their story aired, more than $94,000 poured into their GoFundMe from strangers. The family will use that money to pay Children's Hospital, and they'll return home where Noah will have the less-involved surgery that's covered by his insurance.

The Fontan operation in California will help Noah's one working ventricle to do the work of two. His parents said he'll likely need a heart transplant, and maybe even a liver transplant in the future.

The Connallys say they are eternally grateful to everything the city of Boston did for their boy.