By TMZ | Created at 2026-08-14 21:19:46 | Updated at 2026-08-14 23:43:42
2 hours ago
Surrogate McKenna West Child With Same Heart Defect Is 'Thriving'
Published August 14, 2026 1:45 PM PDT
Surrogate McKenna West says she knows a person who was born with the same heart defect as Baby Gabriel ... and she claims they are now a "thriving teenager."
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, McKenna says the baby was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, just like Gabriel ... and they underwent at least three surgeries.
The docs say McKenna's maternal-fetal-medicine specialist got in contact with the biological parents to explain to all three of them how approximately 70% of children with HLHS live beyond their fifth birthday.
The specialist made it clear McKenna would need to travel out-of-state to successfully deliver this child ... and that's exactly what she did.
As you know ... McKenna rushed to Texas in order to give birth this week to Baby Gabriel, who was diagnosed with HLHS in May at 20 weeks.
Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas filed an emergency court order, demanding 2 local hospitals -- UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center of Dallas - provide life-saving care to the baby.
The biological parents wanted McKenna to have an abortion after the condition was discovered, but she refused ... despite their wishes and a clause in their surrogacy agreement.
As we first reported ... the biological parents currently have physical custody while the child receives medical care, and they are placing the baby's health first and following the advice of his medical team.
