A couple described how they made the heartbreaking decision to tell doctors to stop performing CPR on their sick 14-month-old baby after realizing, ‘he was no longer there’.

Morgan and Cody Christofferson from Dundas, Minnesota, made the agonizing call after their son Soren was hospitalized with heart complications.

The youngster was born with several cardiac defects, including a hole in his heart and a missing artery, but defied the odds to make it to his first birthday.

He was recovering from heart surgery when things went drastically downhill and he went into cardiac arrest.

Doctors were able to bring him back, but warned his parents he was clinging to life and at risk of another episode. He was kept in hospital while his parents decamped to a nearby Ronald McDonald house.

On Easter Sunday of 2023, their worst fears were realized when they got a call at 5am to say Soren had ‘coded’ again.

They rushed to the hospital to find their ‘worst nightmare’ playing out, with a flurry of medics battling to save Soren who lay connected to various tubes.

‘As Cody and I stood in the hallway watching as the nurses performed CPR on our son we looked at each and knew our little boy was no longer there. We made the decision right then and there to stop CPR,’ Morgan said.

A couple described how they made the heartbreaking reason to tell doctors to stop performing CPR on their 14-month-old baby, Soren Chrisofferson, after realizing, ‘he was no longer there’

‘As we sat there holding our son for the last time, there was not a dry eye in that hospital room. Every nurse and doctor cried with us.’

Soren was Morgan’s first child and her husband’s second and the couple were thrilled as her pregnancy progressed as normal.

However, at a 20 week scan the first sign of trouble ahead emerged.

‘I thought it was odd when the ultrasound tech spent a lot of time taking pictures of his heart but being my first kid, I thought it was routine,’ Morgan explained. 

‘It wasn’t until the ultrasound tech excused herself from the room that I knew something was wrong, having a medical background I knew it wasn’t normal for a tech to leave during the middle of an exam.’

Their son was eventually diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia with VSD and MAPCAs.

Doctors were frank about his low chances of survival and warned that he could stop breathing the minute the umbilical chord was cut.

But Soren defied expectation and was born ‘perfectly healthy’ except for his heart and appeared to be thriving at first.

Morgan and Cody Christofferson made the agonizing call after their son Soren was hospitalized with heart complications. Pictured: Soren with dad Cody

The youngster was born with several heart defects, including a hole in his heart and a missing artery, but had defied the odds to make it to his first birthday

But he defied doctors’ worst predictions and was initially relatively healthy except for his heart which eventually began to cause issues

‘Soren did amazing. He was growing, drinking his bottles, and hitting all his milestones. He made it to 6 months old and he went in for reconstructive surgery,’ Morgan said. 

After eight hours of surgery Soren emerged with an artificial pulmonary artery and surgeons managed to close the hole in his heart.

However the good times were short lived and after Soren hit 12 months, his parents began noticing that his hands and feet were always blue.

They took him back to hospital and were given the crushing news that he had complete right-sided heart failure.

As doctors began investigating the extent of the issue, Soren suffered his first cardiac arrest.

Medics managed to bring him back using CPR and decided to hook him up to an ECMO, a device which functions as a patient’s heart and lungs.

After 21 days connected to the machine Soren underwent open heart surgery and was ‘doing great’.

But the couple’s world came crashing down with the 5am phone call.

Mom Morgan (pictured with her husband) described how they watched their ‘worst nightmare’ play out after their son was admitted to hospital and went into cardiac arrest

Although medics were able to revive him his parents made the devastating decision not to perform further CPR to allow him to go peacefully

‘We ran down the hall and got up to his floor to see our worst nightmare play out in front of us,’ Morgan said.

‘There were doctors and nurses and cords and medications laying everywhere. The doctor came up to us and said, ‘We were able to get him back but if he codes again do you want us to do CPR again?’ 

Tragically they weren’t given long to mull their decision as Soren went into cardiac arrest again for the final time as the couple decided to end their son’s suffering by refusing further CPR.

In the months that have followed, the family have worked to keep Soren’s memory alive and welcomed another child, Rowen, who was born just three months after saying goodbye. 

‘There isn’t a day where I don’t think, “I wonder what life would be like if Soren was still here.” 

‘I see Rowen hit milestones and think, “Oh my gosh, I’m so proud of you,” and then realize Soren will never get to do that,’ Morgan said.

The couple are expecting their fourth child who will be sibling to Brayden, 13, and Rowen, 16 months.

‘It hasn’t been easy being a mom and dealing with grief. I struggle with the question of “How many kids do you have?” Do I tell them about Soren or do I leave him out?’ Morgan added.

‘We believe Soren always knew he wasn’t going to be here long. He was a lover and we feel like his purpose was to teach us how to love even deeper — and he did just that.’