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Garner Heart Transplant Recipient, Newborn Son Doing OK

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DURHAM, N.C. — More than a week ago, WRAL had a story about a Garner heart transplant recipient, who was pregnant. Today, she and her new baby are doing just fine.

Christopher is just a few hours old, but he already has a special place in Windi Quinby's heart -- a heart that used to belong to someone else.

Quinby became the first heart transplant recipient Sunday night to give birth at Duke. After 24 hours of labor, she eventually needed a C-section.

"Not what we had planned. He had his hand on top of his head," she said. "Of course, we couldn't deliver like that."

Despite concerns early in her pregnancy, Christopher, at 7 pounds and 3 ounces, is perfectly healthy. Windi, who needed a blood transfusion after surgery, said she is exhausted. Her doctors are monitoring her for any sign that she is rejecting her heart.

Kat Braxton, Windi's mom, is also a heart transplant recipient and said Christopher's birth is proof that miracles still happen.

"[I'm] a miracle with the heart transplant, Windi's a miracle and now Christopher, just being here, is a miracle -- an awesome miracle," Braxton said.

Windi, now a mother of two, said she feels the same way.

"I think I'm still very overwhelmed that I've been so blessed at doing this again," she said.

Christopher is named after the 17-year-old boy whose heart went to Windi. She and her husband have already shared the news with his family in Virginia.

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