Baby Refiloe is Smiling Again After Doctors Fought to Save His Life

Machines breathed for him. Specialists worked around the clock. And his parents held onto hope as seven-month-old Refiloe fought through one of the most critical moments of his young life.... The post Baby Refiloe is Smiling Again After Doctors Fought to Save His Life appeared first on Good Things Guy.

May 16, 2026 - 06:12

Baby Refiloe is Smiling Again After Doctors Fought to Save His Life

Machines breathed for him. Specialists worked around the clock. And his parents held onto hope as seven-month-old Refiloe fought through one of the most critical moments of his young life.

Johannesburg, South Africa (16 May 2026) – Tiny hands, tiny lungs, tiny heartbeat… and an entire team of medical experts fighting through the night to make sure one little boy would one day laugh with his brothers again.

At just seven months old, baby Refiloe Khoza went from what looked like an ordinary childhood sniffle to a terrifying medical emergency that pushed his tiny body to its limits. What followed was six weeks of fear, hope, advanced critical care and extraordinary teamwork that ultimately brought him home to his family.

“Refiloe is my fourth son. When he developed flu-like symptoms, we took him to our family doctor, and at first it seemed to be just one of those typical childhood illnesses we had experienced with our other children. We gave him the prescribed medication and expected that he would be feeling better in a few days. Our family had no idea of the nightmare that was coming,” recalls his mother, Ntombizodwa Khoza.

Like so many parents would, the Khozas believed their little baby was on the mend. He even returned to creche after appearing to improve. But during the early hours of the next morning, everything changed.

“He just kept getting worse, and his breathing became shallow. We took him to the emergency department at Netcare Garden City Hospital. It’s our family hospital, and I always go there. It is the hospital where Refiloe was born, and it turned out to be the hospital that saved his life,” Mrs Khoza says.

Doctors quickly realised they were dealing with something far more dangerous than a routine viral infection. Refiloe had developed rhinovirus pneumonia complicated by myocarditis, which caused inflammation of the heart muscle and cardiac failure.

“Everything happened quite fast. Our son could not breathe; it was an emergency situation,” says his father, Freddy Khoza.

Paediatric critical care specialist Dr Irene Chueu explains just how serious the situation had become.

“Refiloe had developed rhinovirus pneumonia complicated by myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and cardiac failure. On arrival, he was profoundly unwell. His chest was hardly moving when he breathed, his lungs were very stiff, and there was evidence of severe type II respiratory failure with cardiovascular compromise.”

Despite every available respiratory strategy and cardiovascular support intervention, Refiloe’s condition continued to deteriorate. His lungs and heart were failing, and carbon dioxide levels in his bloodstream were becoming dangerously high.

That was when the multidisciplinary team made the call to place the seven-month-old on ECMO, a highly specialised life-support treatment that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs.

“At midnight, the situation became critical and we had to make the decision because Refiloe’s blood gases were showing signs of hypercapnia, or excessively high carbon dioxide levels,” explains cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Sharmel Bhika, one of the few specialists trained in paediatric ECMO procedures.

“ECMO involves a highly specialised therapy that replaces heart and lung function by removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the blood and introducing oxygen (O2) using an oxygenator, before returning the blood to circulation.”

For the Khoza family, hearing that ECMO was their baby’s final chance was devastating.

“We knew it was touch-and-go, and ECMO offered a last chance for Refiloe. It was the most stressful time for us as parents,” says Mrs Khoza.

“It was one of the most horrible days of my life when they explained to us that ECMO could be Refiloe’s last hope and outlined the possible risks involved. I cried for my son that day. We were used to seeing him so active and bubbly, and so to see him lying there fighting for his life was extremely difficult for us as parents,” adds Mr Khoza.

For two weeks, Refiloe remained on ECMO under constant supervision from ICU nurses, doctors and specialists who monitored every tiny change. And while the machines worked to support his body, compassion became just as important as medicine.

“It was a very trying time for us, but the nurses and doctors put me at such ease. I could tell from their faces that it was serious, but the level of love and support Refiloe was receiving allowed me to actually get some sleep because of them,” Mrs Khoza says.

Slowly, the tide began to turn.

Doctors were able to transition Refiloe off ECMO, and a week later they brought him out of his induced coma. Then, after six long weeks in hospital, the little boy finally went home to the people who had been waiting desperately for him… his parents and his three brothers.

“As a family, we really appreciate the doctors and nurses at Netcare Garden City Hospital, and everything they did to bring Refiloe back to us. I must also mention that my wife has been amazing throughout, she showed so much strength as a mother, and her love got our family through this,” says Mr Khoza.

Dr Chueu credits the outcome to fast action, coordinated care and the highly skilled multidisciplinary team that came together around Refiloe, including the paediatric ECMO service led by Dr Bhika, paediatric pulmonologist Dr Riaz Khan, paediatric cardiologist Prof Hopewell Ntsinjana and paediatric ICU fellow Dr Noluthando Mkhize.

She also urged parents to seek medical care early when infants show worsening symptoms, reminding families that viral infections can escalate rapidly in very young children.

Today though, the story sounds very different inside the Khoza home.

Refiloe is recovering well. He’s catching up on milestones, rediscovering his independence and already showing a strong personality.

“Refiloe is a very sweet baby, and he is funny. He picks and chooses who he likes and he is especially close to his second eldest brother. He wants to be independent now that he is feeling better. Refiloe does things on his own schedule, he’s not even a year old yet, and he won’t be told what to do,” his mother laughs.

And this July, when the family gathers to celebrate his first birthday, there will be far more than cake and candles around the table. There will be gratitude, relief, love and the overwhelming joy of having their little boy back where he belongs… home.