Courtesy photo Hanna Hope Manning died Sunday following a lifelong battle against congenital heart disease.

NASHUA – After a lifelong struggle with various heart and health issues, Hanna Hope Manning gained wings Sunday in the presence of her loved ones.

For 13 months, Hanna fought the effects of Congenital Heart Disease. Hanna was diagnosed in utero at 22 weeks with an unbalanced right dominant Atrioventricular Canal Defect, holes in her heart, a smaller left side of her heart than the right, leaking mitral and tricuspid valves and various other heart issues. She also had hypothyroidism and hypoglycemia.

Unfortunately, Hanna was done fighting her tremendous battle on Sunday afternoon, after her kidneys and other organs began shutting down.

In her 13 months, Hanna underwent four open-heart surgeries, three cardiac catheters, and countless other procedures, but she didn’t let it get her down.

“She was the happiest baby ever,” Hanna’s mom, Amanda, said. “She would just light up the room constantly. She always smiled through everything, no matter how many times she got poked and prodded by doctors and nurses. She put up a really hard fight for 13 and a half months.”

Hanna’s aunt, Natalia Manning, wrote along similar lines in a GoFundMe page she set up for the family. “With every problem and obstacle that Hanna faced, she did it with a smile that shined happiness unto others demonstrating a true passion for life,” Natalia wrote. “Throughout her battle, Hanna’s mother, Amanda, sat at her side through every tough decision and surgery. Her father, Taylor, worked hard as a pipefitter in Boston to provide the financial support to cover Hanna’s medical expenses, while spending every night with Hanna and Amanda at Children’s Hospital.”

Amanda told The Telegraph last month that she and her husband hadn’t been home for more than two weeks at a time since July. But each moment spent with Hanna was a moment to be cherished. With so much time spent at the hospital, and money spent in gasoline and hospital bills and other expenses, the Manning family needs help. The GoFundMe page, which has a goal of $10,000, can be found at https://www.gofundme.com, search name “in loving memory of hanna manning” https://www.gofundme.com/in-loving-memory-of-hanna-manning?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_co_shareflow_w&fbclid=IwAR0FxcprHBMS26B5rYrSDkbIORYK-_Ms2OOq2rTWevPu_NkJ9_vk-RTjoZU.

Family and friends of the Mannings are working diligently to help the family through an incredibly difficult time. In conjunction with the GoFundMe pages, various shirts have been created to show support. To buy a shirt, visit https://www.customink.com/fundraising/hanna-strong (https://www.customink.com/fundraising/hanna-strong?ref=copy-link_social_mobile-campaign-page-share&utm_campaign=mobile-campaign-page-share&utm_content=hanna-strong&utm_medium=social&utm_source=copy-link&side=back&type=1&zoom=false&fbclid=IwAR1_N_Ila34fCPtoWDtZ18Ioi-OuDm-unK3eIL3kckCT7).

All funds will go directly to Amanda and Taylor Manning, who additionally are now faced with funeral expenses. In the GoFundMe page, Natalia wrote, “After everything that Taylor and Amanda have gone through, the last thing they should need to worry about is trying to figure out how to pay for Hanna’s funeral expenses. Many of us have spent the last 13 months supporting Hanna, Taylor, and Amanda and I am asking that we pull together one last time in what is Taylor and Amanda’s darkest hour and to give Hanna an appropriate funeral service and burial.”

Those who cannot access the GoFundMe page and who would like to make other arrangements for donations can email Amanda Manning at ammanning17@gmail.com.

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week begins today. Hanna’s family is asking people to light a candle in honor of Hanna’s memory.

Newsletter