Many families are celebrating their first Christmas this year with newborns, making the holiday extra special.  

But there's one family from Georgia that's holding their new addition extra tight, celebrating a Christmas they never thought would come.  

It was only possible because one North Texas hospital did something no other hospital was willing to try.  

"We came to Fort Worth hopeful and prayerful that this would be the place," said Sarah Ellen Beavers. 

The Beavers' family needs a miracle.  

Sarah Ellen and her husband Zach Beavers, were expecting a baby girl due last spring when doctors discovered a problem.  

"Her OBs had found that the left side of her heart had not developed," said Dr. Kevin Wilkes, a pediatric and fetal cardiologist at Cook Children's.  

The baby had a rare combination of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and Turner syndrome. The only real option was heart surgery. 

"If a baby with Turner Syndrome did not get the Norwood surgery, in all likelihood, that baby is not going to survive," said Dr. Vincent Tam, the Medical Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cook Children's.

But this particular combination of issues led hospitals in Georgia and around the country to be wary of attempting the surgery.  

"About a month prior to her being born, we found out that Georgia was off the table and that we needed to look elsewhere," said Sarah Ellen Beavers. 

"We just felt like we were handed a death sentence and we were like, 'God's got something a lot more planned, so we got to go figure out what it is,'" said Zach Beavers. 

Turns out, there was a plan involving a North Texas medical student.  

"I was shocked, speechless because I wasn't expecting such a quick turnaround," Anisha Saripalli, a medical student, UNT Health Fort Worth.

Saripalli's shock is because in March of this year, she presented her research about positive outcomes at Cook Children's for newborns undergoing the Norwood surgery to rebuild their hearts.  

 "If it weren't for that being published on March 5, then the hospital that had previously said no wouldn't have known to refer us here," said Zach Beavers.

The Beavers arrived in Fort Worth on March 14.

But getting here was just half the battle. Just hours after the Beavers welcomed Anna Claire to the world, she was rushed into open-heart surgery.  

"We also knew there's a chance you're coming to Texas and you go home empty-handed," said Sarah Ellen Beavers. 

But two surgeries and 5 months later, Anna Claire was going home. Today she's thriving.  

"She smiles and giggles, and her smile covers her whole face, and she's just joyful," said Sarah Ellen Beavers. 

Joyful is an apt word for the family of three celebrating their first Christmas together.  

"I continue to just go back to, these are the days we prayed for. Each day, a sleepless night... It's a joy because it's a day we didn't know or think we would have," said Sarah Ellen Beavers. 

Anna Claire will need one more heart surgery as she continues to grow, and one day will need a heart transplant. If you want to learn more about the work Cook Children's is doing to help families like the Beavers, you can visit their website.