Our best wishes go out to Ethan Walker and his family in Courtland.

At only 18 months, little Ethan will undergo his third major surgery for a rare congenital heart defect. The surgery will be done in September at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina.

Ethan was essentially born with a half of a heart after one side of the organ did not develop.

At six days old, he underwent the first surgery and came through better than expected. However, a setback came in March 2010, when doctors in Norfolk discovered a rare infection in Ethan’s heart. The toddler almost didn’t survive.

Ethan was admitted to the hospital out of concern that the infection could lead to a stroke or heart attack. Surgery was done to remove the infection. At the same time, the doctor also preformed the second of three surgeries Ethan would have to undergo to keep his condition under control.

Today, Ethan is a typical busy young tyke, who likes to run and play. Sometimes his mother, Joey Walker, has to stop him and hold him in her arms when she hears him struggling due to his heart condition.

We give Joey and her husband, Ashley, and their families so much credit for doing everything they have to raise this little boy. Although we’re sure there’s a lot involved, Joey Walker said it really hasn’t been all that bad.

We hope to hear good news from the Walker family come September.