‘You saved his life’: Terre Haute girl thanks hospital staff

Alexis Jenks and Steve Howard (Provided Photo/Ascension St. Vincent)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Eight-year-old Alexis Jenks, of Terre Haute, is grateful for another Father’s Day with her grandfather.

On Dec. 23, 2022, Jenks’ grandfather, Steve Howard, suffered a heart attack. Howard was taken to Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center in Indianapolis, but did not qualify for open heart surgery.

Instead of open heart surgery, Howard had a transcatheter aortic valve replacement, which saved his life.

Although Jenks could not be in the hospital with Howard, she decided to thank the doctors and nurses at the hospital.

“Dear hospital in Indy. Thank you for keeping my Gampa safe. It was amazing, overwhelming, and scary. You saved his life… like magic! You’re so cool!!! Sincerely, Alexis Jean Jenks,” Jenks wrote in a letter to the hospital.

Alexis Jenks wrote a letter to Ascension St. Vincent (Provided Photo/Ascension St. Vincent)