After Losing Husband, Prior Lake Woman's Baby Battling Heart Defect

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota mother is finding her new normal after her husband passed away just days before their first child was born.

Now their baby is in the NIC-U.

Kelsey Ferguson lost her husband, Scott, last month after he suddenly came down with a rare inflammatory disease. He died unexpectedly just days after his diagnosis.

WCCO's Kate Raddatz shares how the single mother is staying strong for their son.

When Kelsey married her college sweetheart Scott, they couldn't wait to start a family.

"He was baby crazy. He held babies everywhere he went," Kelsey Ferguson said.

The couple struggled with infertility and miscarriage before Kelsey was pregnant again. But they were told at 20 weeks that their son had a serious heart defect.

"They told us he probably wouldn't survive," Kelsey said.

Then, more challenges. Scott started getting sick, but they assumed it was a bad cold.

"We had high hopes. We thought we'd get him on medicine and he would feel better and it just kept getting worse," Kelsey said.

In early June, Kelsey was admitted to Abbott Northwestern to be monitored for her pregnancy. Her husband was then also checked into the hospital, and diagnosed with a rare inflammatory disease called Wegener's.

Within days, his lungs filled with blood.

"I just told him how much I loved him, so much and I told him how much his son loved him and that I would tell him all about him," Kelsey said.

Scott died on June 8. Kelsey gave birth four days later at just 32 weeks. But little Maxley, at 2 pounds and 4 ounces, was OK.

"Scott's up there. I know he's looking over him and helping and I think he was with him. They didn't even think he'd be breathing and he came out crying," Kelsey said.

Now Kelsey spends her days here at the hospital with her son. So far he is doing well. She says he's the reason she keeps going.

"I have to get through this for him. I've all he has got, and he's all I've got and my family and friends have just been incredible," Kelsey said.

Maxley will be in the NICU at least another month, and then will need heart surgery when he's 4 months old. The family delayed the funeral for Scott because of Maxley's health issues, but it will now take place this weekend.

A GoFundMe has been created to help Kelsey with medical expenses.