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Family Focus: Girl with heart condition helps other kids be superheroes

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — A 9-year-old girl from Kannapolis is inspiring bravery, months after she had major surgery.

Eyewitness news anchor Stephanie Maxwell spoke with Paige Sullivan about how she wants all children to know they're superheroes, no matter what obstacle they face.

When Paige was six months old, doctors discovered she had a serious heart condition.

“I was born with two right coronary arteries,” Paige said.

“They did the chest X-ray and saw that something wasn't right with her heart,” her mother, Racine McCullough, said.

Doctors at Duke Children’s Hospital wanted to wait until she was much older to operate.

In June, they determined she was ready.

“I had to have open heart surgery for them to fix it to where I wouldn't have a heart attack,” Paige said.

“I just broke down,” her mother said. “That was the longest seven hours ever.”

Two months later, there are restrictions on activities Paige can do with her friends, such as dancing and swimming.

Paige started an organization called The Heart of Paige that encourages the superhero in all kids going through medical battles.

Paige even has her own cape.

“Superheroes need a superhero cape,” Paige said.

Paige is making sure, through an Embrace Your Cape event, that other young patients have capes to help them be brave at the hospital.

She also wants kids to have a book she's writing to help them understand what to expect during their hospital stay.

“She doesn't have a heart like any of us,” Racine said. “It's a special heart.”

Paige said it's her goal to be a heart surgeon or pediatrician, to help children like herself.

The Heart of Paige is hosting the back-to-school event Embrace Your Cape on Aug. 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Forest Park Elementary School in Kannapolis. There will be prizes and free school supplies.