Last week, Faithwire shared the story of U.K. parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates, who are caught up in the legal battle of every parent’s nightmares. For months, the Gard family has filed appeal after appeal to prevent their infant son’s doctors from taking him off life support.
READ: Terminally Ill Baby’s Fate in the Hands of European Court as Parents Fight for Son’s Life
Ten-month-old Charlie Gard has been in intensive care since last October. He suffers from a rare condition called mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which affects the part of the cell that supplies energy to his muscles, kidneys, and brain.
Back in April, a High Court judge ruled in favor of Charlie’s doctors, who have tried to block the child’s parents from seeking potentially life-saving treatment in the United States, alleging that the baby is unable to see, hear, move, cry, or swallow.
In their latest effort to save their son’s life, Charlie’s parents appealed their case to the European Court of Human Rights. Last week, Charlie’s doctors were ordered to keep him on life support through Monday, June 19.
On Sunday, Chris Gard celebrated his first Father’s Day. Supporters from around the world reached out on social media over the weekend with positive messages of encouragement, applauding the father-of-one for his love and devotion.
#FathersDay will be extra special this year as Chris will get to spend it with the apple of his eye Charlie!! #Charliesfight
— Charlie's fight (@Fight4Charlie) June 13, 2017
Please don't let this be Chris Gard's last Father's Day 💙 #charliesfight #CharliesArmy
— Emily Bartlett (@benscheekbones7) June 17, 2017
“Yesterday was the day I feared I’d never see,” Chris Gard shared Monday. “It was wonderful to celebrate my first father’s day with my son.”
“The day Charlie was born was by far the best day of my life. From the moment the midwife lifted him up and I saw him for the very first time, I knew that I would love that little boy with all my heart until my very last breath.”
Please continue to keep the Gard family in your prayers as they await the court’s decision, and be sure to check back with Faithwire for more updates.