It's Happening: Baylor Comes Home
By Julie Perine on July 02, 2025 from It’s Happening
Many have been following the journey of 2-year-old Baylor Waggamon since early-2025 when he was awaiting a heart transplant at UPMC. He had lived there for several months as his life was sustained for by a mechanical heart pump. In May, the toddler’s family was grateful when he received the heart that saved his life.
Last weekend – with plenty of fanfare – Madison and Jacob brought their baby boy home. Family and friends welcomed him at Spelter Fire Department, welcoming Baylor – all smiles and riding in a firetruck.
“He loves firetrucks and has been in them before since Jacob is a (volunteer) firefighter in Spelter, but he had never ridden in one,” said Baylor’s grandmother Kim Waggamon. “He rode in a car from Pittsburgh, then they put him in the firetruck to come across the bridge. He was so excited.”
Madison said his medical team at UPMC was quite pleased with his progress after undergoing the heart transplant on May 6. His chest was left open until the following day and his breathing tube came out. By May 8, he was sitting up in bed playing. The following week, all pic lines had been removed and his first biopsy showed no signs of rejection. Baylor made the announcement himself on his dad’s Facebook page.
He was discharged May 27 and moved into the Ronald McDonald House in Pittsburgh. There was talk of him living there for a few months, but by June 20 he had reached all the necessary milestones and his parents received the required training for his care. So he was able to come home.
“We had already received feeding tube training, so we didn’t have to do that again,” Madison said. “And we had to go through medicine and oxygen training. He was only on oxygen the first night home. It dropped while he was sleeping, but other than that, he hasn’t been on it.”
He was receiving physical therapy to help with his walking, but that is on the back burner for now.
“Last weekend he fell trying to get up out of a chair,” Kim said. “He was told to stay put, but he didn’t. He wants to be on the move all the time.”
The fall resulted in a fracture and Baylor’s leg was cast up to his hip. He will wear it for four to six weeks. Baylor goes for weekly lab work to make sure there is no rejection.
“We alternate between Morgantown and UPMC, so we don’t have to make the trip to Pittsburgh every week,” Kim said.
Baylor’s feeding tube is used to administer some of his medications, but he can eat. He loves cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets the most. Before fracturing his leg, he was able to ride his electronic four-wheeler and he will eventually be able to again. In the meantime, he's enjoying his favorite TV shows like "Bluey," "Niki" and "Cars."
As for speech, there is no problem.
“They did a speech evaluation in Pittsburgh and the first test indicated he was on a 5-year-old level of talking,” Madison said. “He never stops talking. He even talks in his sleep.”
The family appreciates all the support little Baylor has been shown throughout his journey. 
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